Blackberry season is here. Here are health benefits, uses of the prickly bush and berries
From tea made of its leaves to cobblers made from its ripe berries, blackberry plants are some of the most resilient and ever-present plants in the Pacific Northwest. Aside from species endemic to the region, other varieties have been introduced over the years.
But whether it’s the native trailing blackberry or the invasive Himalayan species, which is the most widespread and disruptive weed across western Washington, the health benefits and uses for these plants that seem to grow everywhere are similar.
Blackberry uses
Medicinal Tea
It’s not just the berry itself that can be beneficial. The tender leaves can be used in medicinal teas capable of soothing a sore throat, gums and mouth ulcers. Blackberry leaves are also full of metabolites, a substance important in fostering a good metabolism, and Vitamin C, which is good for the growth and repair of body tissues.
Young blackberry shoots can be picked for their leaves, and the leaves should be fermented before being crushed and pounding, according to Windellama Organics Farm and Garden. The leaves should then be stored in a warm place for two to six weeks, dehydrated and crushed, stored in an air-tight container, and placed in teabags.
Tea
Although not as healthy as using the leaves, you can also make a sweet tea using the blackberries themselves. Simply combine the berries with some sugar in a saucepan and slightly mash the berries to release the juices, stir in a cup of water and let the syrup simmer for 15 minutes.
While the syrup is simmering, boil four cups of water in a separate saucepan with some teabags, combine the now-boiled tea with the blackberry syrup, then combine it with four more cups of cold water. The full recipe and instructions can be found on belleofthekitchen.com.
Jam
Blackberries are naturally high in a starch called pectin, which is often used as a thickener in cooking and baking. That means making blackberry jam is even easier than making other kinds of jam: all you need are the blackberries, some sugar and a splash of lemon juice.
All that’s required is to cook the blackberries with some sugar — low-sugar jam should only need about one-fifth of the amount of blackberries you’re using — and a splash of lemon juice. A complete recipe for low-sugar blackberry jam can be found on practicalselfreliance.com.
Cobbler
Are you trying to up your baking game to more than just jam? Blackberry cobbler — frozen blackberries surrounded by biscuit — is an excellent option for a tasty summer treat. All you need is some freshly-picked blackberries, self-rising flour, milk and butter.
An easy-to-make recipe for blackberry cobbler — or any other berry cobbler — can be found on thecozycook.com.
Blackberry benefits
While blackberries are delicious, like many other types of fruit, they also offer significant health benefits. As with the medicinal tea, blackberry leaves are great for soothing sore throat and gums and promoting good metabolism and tissue growth and repair.
Antioxidants, a compound that protects your cells against free radicals, are also found in blackberries. One antioxidant in the fruit, anthocyanins, holds anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, according to WebMD.
Blackberries are also a great source of fiber, according to WebMD, which helps improve digestion and can alleviate gastrointestinal issues such as constipation.
Health information provider Healthline also cites that blackberries are a great source of Vitamin K — which plays a role in thickening the blood and bone metabolism — as well as manganese, which helps form connective tissues, bones and necessary blood clotting.
This story was originally published August 16, 2022 at 9:38 AM.
