Spoon up some health!
[follow the Wikipedia links]
Let's begin with 4 simple terms from botany to describe the anatomy of a berry in cross-section
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pericarp is all the tissue surrounding the seed including the pulp preferred as food by humans and the skin
-
the
skin is also called the
exocarp
-
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the tissue immediately
surrounding a seed is called the
endocarp
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For the plant, the purpose of bearing fruit is to
nourish and protect the seeds
and assure their opportunity for germination that
will perpetuate the plant species. (click!)
So, as consumers of berries and other fruits, we might ask:
From where in the layers shielding seeds
are nutrients located?
Let's define something else.
Nutrients are those compounds known by science as essential to human health. Absence of them from the diet leads to illness or disease. Included are macronutrients (gram amounts per day - carbohydrates, protein, dietary fiber and fats) and essential micronutrients (mg or mcg amounts per day - vitamins, dietary minerals, amino acids and omega fatty acids).
Anthocyanins and other polyphenols are not classified as nutrients because these compounds are not proven by science as essential to human health. They are best called phytochemicals "of interest" shown by the ongoing research effort to better define their importance to human health.
Although not defined as berry, the kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) helps make
the point of nutrient layers from the outside-in.
The edible outer brown skin ("exocarp") is a high-fiber source covering
the green pulp ("mesocarp") which contains macro- and micronutrients
intended to nourish fruit growth and seed health.
The edible black seeds ("endocarp"), the most internal
layer, are packed with macro- and micronutrients and genetic material
to assure regeneration of the plant.
This is a high-nutrient source for human consumers.
Nutrients in Berry Skin, the Exocarp
Berry skin serves as the external shield for the fruit, protecting the berry from constant sun and ultraviolet exposure, weather, bacteria, viruses, insects, etc.
Often, the only nutritional value of skins is thought to be pigments that color the fruit. These are the antioxidant phytochemicals, like anthocyanins, ellagic acid, quercetin, resveratrol, and in some berries, carotenoids, all possibly having health value when included in the diet.
But there's more.
The most abundant components of berry skin are nutritional carbohydrates, mostly as the simple sugar, fructose or glucose, but also starch, lignans, pectins, polysaccharides and cellulose are present -- all are sources of dietary fiber which has numerous potential health benefits beyond promoting regularity! (see next week's essay)
Berry skin also has good contents of two essential minerals -- calcium and potassium.
[follow the Wikipedia links]
Nutrients in Berry Pulp, the Mesocarp
To the plant, the pulp serves two main purposes:
1. a pantry of nutrients for nourishing growth of the berry that will provide seed protection throughout the life cycle
2. when the fruit ripens and eventually falls to the ground, the pulp provides sugars to attract foragers who eat the fruit and disperse the seeds. The pulp also provides a surrounding protective buffer and nutrition for seeds until they can enter the soil for germination
Consumers benefit from this grand design of seed protection by eating whole fruits and berries containing optimal content of nutrients including
Nutrients in Berry Seeds and the Endocarp
Berry seeds contain dense amounts of nutrients we want from any food, but are especially good reservoirs of
Full nutrient analyses on berry seeds are not available, but check out the impressive profile of macro- and micronutrients for the modest but popular and inexpensive sunflower seeds, click.
HINT for reading the nutrient profile of sunflower seeds from the above link: Give special attention to the number of seed nutrients with high %DV numbers (Daily Value or Dietary Reference Intake).
Among all berry or plant food layers, seeds have the broadest number of high %DV contents so are a rich nutrient source to include in the diet.
Tomato (which is a berry), botanical cousin to the wolfberry ("goji").
The 3 layers external to the seeds are clear in the left picture.
