High in fiber with zero grams of fat, dried Inca berries benefits are great for both eyesight and healthy skin. Dried Inca berries carry vitamins and minerals, polyphenols (organic chemical compounds), and a heavy load of nutrients (1).
Excelling in the antioxidant category: dried Inca berries help maintain our vitamin C levels, fight back against free radicals, and some cancer forms. Dried Inca berries are like raisins and dried cranberries’ hip younger sister: they grow in the Peruvian mountains, have a distinctive taste, and are a lauded “superfood” in some circles.
Dried Inca berries benefits have been used for centuries in traditional medicine, often to help cure jaundice (2). Some cultures have regarded the golden berry as a mild diuretic that promotes improved fluid balance. Whether you want to lose weight or you’re just trying to improve your diet, there are lots of reasons to try Inca berries.
Dried Inca berries are an incredibly versatile ingredient. By pairing them with sweet ingredients to balance out their tartness or focusing on their superfood status, you can encourage health-conscious consumers to incorporate them into a balanced diet through your food offerings. Inca berries are jam-packed with nutrients — whether you eat them fresh or dried. In one four-ounce serving, this superfruit offers (3):
- Over 70% of your daily vitamin A needs
- Vitamins B and C
- High levels of protein, potassium, and fiber
- Zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus
- Over 20% of your daily iron needs
Dried Inca Berries Benefits
1. Boosts Immune System
Dried Inca berries contain Vitamin A and Vitamin C! This incredible berry can bolster your immune system to help you ward off illness and boost the functions of each system in your body. Filling up on golden berries this winter will help you stay strong throughout the cold and flu season (4).
2. Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
Compounds in dried Inca berries called withanolides may have anti-inflammatory effects in your body, potentially protecting against colon cancer (5). Inflammation is a common cause of many ailments including muscle stiffness, fatigue, bronchitis, asthma, eczema, swollen joints, and headaches. This benefit prevents inflammation caused by pain, swelling, and redness. Also, due to the presence of polyphenols and other antioxidants, these berries may help in treating disorders like asthma which is basically the inflammation of tracheal passage.
3. Reduces Stress & Anxiety
One of the berry’s most amazing and unique qualities is its withanolide content. Withanolide is a naturally-occurring adaptogen, which helps your body adapt to stress by improving the health of your adrenal system. This, in turn, can reduce feelings of anxiety and irritability. Over time, adaptogens have been linked to better emotional well being.
4. Eases digestion
Fiber plays an important role in managing your digestive processes. Fiber-rich dried Inca berries are great to add to your diet. Moreover, the pectin fiber it contains helps calm the disturbed gastrointestinal (GI) tract, prevents constipation and also serves as a great laxative (6).
5. Reduce Acidity
Dried Inca berries contain potassium and magnesium at good levels. This helps to reduce acidity and help remove the toxins from the system, preventing diseases like arthritis, gout, kidney stones, and heart diseases.
6. Helps Against Anaemia
Dried Inca berries have a good amount of iron and B-Complex vitamins in them which help to treat anemia. The copper present in raisins also helps in the production of red blood cells (7).
7. Improves Eye Sight
Dried Inca berries are found to be rich in polyphenolic phytonutrients which are antioxidants that help in keeping your eyesight strong. The antioxidants in dried Inca berries help in protecting the eyes by reducing the free radical action that weakens the vision and causes muscular degeneration as well as cataract. Also, they have vitamin A, beta carotene, and A-Carotenoid and they are super good for the eyes (8).
8. Detoxifies the Body
These little golden fruits are powerful detoxifiers. Each berry’s robust nutritional profile—complete with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—nourish the liver and kidney. Both organs each play a critical role in flushing toxins out of the body. The fewer toxins in your body, the more vibrant you feel (9).
9. Mouth And Dental Care
Dried Inca berries contain oleanolic acid which is one of the phytochemicals which is essential to keep your teeth safe from decay, cavities as well as brittle teeth. They prevent the growth of bacteria in the mouth to keep the teeth in good shape. As they contain calcium in good quantities, they also prevent the teeth from peeling away or breakage.
10. Packed with Antioxidants
These berries deliver a potent dose of antioxidants, including polyphenols and carotenoids. These antioxidants fight free radicals that damage cells which can lead to degenerative diseases. These antioxidants speed up the skin repair system, plump out the skin, and prevent it from damage. They also rejuvenate the skin cells and prevent sagging of the skin (11).
11. Controls high blood pressure
Due to the presence of phytochemicals such as polyphenols and carotenoids, dried Inca berries can regulate high blood pressure levels. These chemicals along with the soluble pectin fiber keep bad cholesterol levels in check and promote heart health (12).
Dried Inca Berries Taste and Nutrition
Inca berries are affectionately known as the “healthy sour skittle”, thanks to their mouth-tingling combination of sweet and sour. They’re perfect for adding flavor to meals, protein balls, or simply eating as a snack.
Another great dried Inca berries benefit is that they are low in calories. They only have around 50 calories per 100g, so they’re excellent to snack on and add to a healthy and balanced diet.
They hold a moderate number of calories, providing 74 per cup (140 grams). The majority of their calories come from carbs and the contains 6 grams of fiber.
A 1-cup serving of golden berries contains:
- Carbs: 15.7 grams
- Fiber: 6 grams
- Protein: 2.7 grams
- Fat: 1 gram
- Vitamin C: 21% of the RDI for women and 17% for men
- Thiamine: 14% of the RDI for women and 13% for men
- Riboflavin: 5% of the RDI
- Niacin: 28% of the RDI for women and 25% for men
- Vitamin A: 7% of the RDI for women and 6% for men
- Iron: 8% of the RDI for women and 18% for men
- Phosphorus: 8% of the RDI
Dried Inca berries have an acquired taste and tough texture. They’re acidic and tart, which may make it hard to enjoy them on their own, You can easily add them to oatmeal, yogurt, and other healthy snacks, or eat them on their own.
With barely any calories but plenty of nutrients, they help to provide everything you need without causing you to retain fat. The properties that could help them manage blood sugar also means they can help you to manage diabetes.