Salmonberry or Alaskan Berry belongs to the same family as roses, as it is a shrub with a mounding or rambling growth habit, commonly known as brambles. Also known as Rubus Spectabilis as its scientific name, Salmonberry has a similar fruit structure with Raspberry, where the fruit is hanging away from its receptacle.
Both berries are edible and commonly found in coastal forests and moist regions. Salmonberry or also called thimbleberry is indigenous to the North American West Coast from west central Alaska to California. The name “salmonberry” was obtained from the habit of Native Americans eating this fruit along with half-dried salmon roe, mixing it with eulachon grease or by eating it with salmon.
When the fruit is ripe, it is yellow to orange-red in color and has perfect sweetness, not too sour, and not too sweet. Nowadays, they are often made into candies, jellies, jams, and even wines. Aside from its appealing appearance, this delectable, succulent fruit is not only fat-free but also packed with numerous nutrients and benefits. The health benefits of Salmonberry varies since it has a lot of nutritional values and also a lot of usage as well. Hereby we have summed the contents and the benefits of salmonberry into this article for you to read.
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Salmon berry Nutritional Facts
Salmonberry is an essential source of minerals such as calcium, potassium, and iron which are important for optimal health. Salmonberries are mostly notable for their considerable amount of vitamin C and vitamin A. Each 100g serving of salmonberries can provide for 15% of the daily required amount (RDI) of vitamin C and 10% of our RDI.
They are also rich in vitamin E and K. 100 grams of them contain 8% of our vitamin E RDI and 18 percent of our vitamin K RDI. They are also high in manganese; with each 100 grams of raw salmonberries contain 1.1 mg of manganese or 55% of our recommended daily intake. This natural sugar is also a natural source of dietary fiber which is low in sodium, has zero fat and cholesterol free.
Here is a complete list of the contents for an ounce of Salmonberry:
- Protein – 0,2 g
- Carbohydrate – 2,8 g
- Calories – 55,3 kJ
- Dietary Fiber – 0,5 g
- Fat – 0,1 g
- Sugar – 1,0 g
- Vitamin A – 139 IU
- Vitamin C – 2,6 mg
- Vitamin E – 0,5 mg
- Vitamin K – 4,1 mcg
- Niacin – 0,1 mg
- Folate – 4,8 mcg
- Iron – 0,1 mg
- Magnesium – 4,2 mg
- Calcium – 3,6 mg
- Potassium – 30,8 mg
- Phosphorus – 7,6 mg
- Sodium – 3,9 mg
- Zinc – 0,1 mg
- Manganese – 0,3 mg
1. Improve Digestive Function
If you are looking for the proper fruit to handle the digestive problems, Salmonberry is the right choice as it is high in manganese. It also contains a lot of antioxidants that help the digestive system by maintaining metabolism, aids vitamin absorption, and neutralizing free radicals. Their dried leaves were also able to be chewed to cure diarrhea and stomach upset. A decoction made from its roots and leaves is able to cure many stomach ailments and other diseases.
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2. Increase Body Immune
The antioxidants contained within the Salmonberry will keep your body’s immune systems work to its best, so it is advisable to consume it daily and increase your protection against disease. This great source of vitamin C also guarantees reduction of lead toxicity and considered as a good defense against illness and diseases including the common cold, flu, or fever.
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3. Anti-Aging Benefits
The abundant amount of vitamin A in Salmonberry also saves appropriate moisture in the skin, resulting in the decreasing of acne, wrinkles, and keratinization or skin hardening. This moisture also prevents psoriasis. The vitamin E in salmonberry also benefits our skin and cells. Thus, researchers consider salmonberries to be anti-aging foods.
4. Promote Good Vision
In relation to its high amount of vitamin A, salmonberry also helps in promoting good vision. It also shields us from age-related eye conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts. The vitamin C contained in this fruit also helps in improving eye health.
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5. Useful for Women in Labor
The Salmonberry can be made into a concoction that is able to ease the pain from childbirth. As such, it is extremely useful for women who are in labor. The practice has been used by the Eskimo people since a long time ago by boiling the bark in seawater and then drinks the infused water.
6. Encourage Blood Clotting
The rare vitamin K contained in salmonberry maintains a healthy blood clotting system, prevents the blood vessels from calcifying, and controls bleeding. Deficiency in vitamin K may result in bleeding gums and noses, and blood in stools. Moreover, the vitamin C in salmonberry also assists in swift healing from an open wound.
7. Regulates Blood Sugar Levels
The rich content of manganese in Salmonberry was known to help regulates the blood sugar levels inside your body. Studies by researchers have revealed that manganese provides a therapeutic action by providing aid to the enzyme that handles glucose metabolism. By doing that, it directly affects the blood sugar levels and assists its regulation.
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8. Alleviate PMS Symptoms
One of the health benefits of Salmonberry is its astringent and analgesic contents. Due to its analgesic and astringent properties, Salmonberry is also able to help women during their period by alleviating some of its symptoms.
9. Control Blood Pressures
As said before, due to the abundance of manganese in Salmonberry, it was able to regulate the blood sugar levels in your body properly. In turn, it would also help your body to control the blood pressure. The amount of Vitamin C contained in Salmonberry also provides treatment for hypertension and proper blood vessels dilation which certainly helped in controlling the blood pressure as well.
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10. Healthy Bones and Teeth
Since Salmonberry contains a high amount of vitamin C, it would certainly promote a better bone and teeth growth and protection in your body. As such, it is good and beneficial for a healthy bone and teeth.
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11. Help Burn Injuries
The Salmonberry leaves can be turned into a moist paste that aids in the dressing of burns. Not only that, the bark is also can make into a powder that helps in relieving pain from burn injuries.
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13. Promote Weight Gain
The roots of Salmonberry can be infused into a drink that will encourage the appetite for those who drink it. As such, it can be used to promote weight gain. The fact that it contains no unsaturated fat also proves it as a nice snack for those who are on diet.
14. Cancer Prevention
The antioxidant is known to be able to prevent cancer cells from growing and as such, it is useful in treating people with cancer. Through its antioxidant properties, Salmonberry could help in preventing cancer for the people who consumed it.
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15. Maintain Healthy Cholesterol Levels
Through its contents, Salmonberry is able to help your body in maintaining its healthy cholesterol levels by removing the bad cholesterols and promoting the growth of healthy cholesterol levels.
16. Regulates Hair Growth
A daily consumption of Salmonberry could promote hair growth and is extremely useful against baldness.
17. Cure Diarrhea
Due to its gastrointestinal properties, Salmonberry is also known to cure diarrhea and other bladder illness.
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Edible Uses for Salmonberry
Other than the health benefits of Salmonberry that were stated above, the Salomberry plant itself has plenty of other uses as it is edible and tasty. Although most people normally eat it raw, the native Eskimo people usually eat Salmonberry with salmon meat, salmon roe, or oolichan grease.
It could also be processed into canned fruits or made into jams and jellies by following a simple recipe. Some people also used it in their cuisine as a flavoring, by boiling it together with fish. In a certain area, Salmonberry is used to create alcoholic beverages through the same fermentation process as when making a wine.
The sprouts and young shoots of the plant also can be eaten by cooking it in the same way as cooking an asparagus, and the leaf can be used to make tea as well. Another use for a Salmonberry is to turn them into flavoring for candies.
How to Clean and Store Salmonberry Properly
Due to its delicateness, Salmonberry should be handled as carefully as possible. Washing is not advised unless the berries are very dirty. There are many health benefits of Salmonberry. Sift it to remove any excess leaves and debris. It is best consumed on the same day it was picked as to conserve its freshness and deliciousness.
If needed, it can be stored in a refrigerator for a brief period of time. However, they rarely last longer than two or three days even when stored properly. Take note to place it in a safe container when storing as to prevent it from crushed.
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