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I'm a doctor. Here's why I eat this one food every day without fail
A world-renowned GP has revealed he never goes a day without eating berries because of the enormous, positive impact they have on health.
Dr Amir Khan, a GP and best selling author from the UK, said there are five reasons why he eats berries of all kinds every single day.
Noting he 'takes a punnet' into work as well as incorporating them into his morning routine.
And while they 'can be expensive' the doctor says they are worth it for the benefits - and people can go with frozen berries which are less of a strain on the budget.
Berries help reduce insulin sensitivity, according to the doctor, and are high in fibre and antioxidants. But there are five reasons he eats them each day.
1. Berries contain antioxidants
Dr Khan explained how berries are full of his 'favourite' antioxidants which he described as your body's 'little repair men'.
'They help fix damage done by unstable molecules called free radicals which when in high numbers, can damage our cells and cause inflammation,' Dr Khan said.
He said blueberries, blackberries and raspberries contain the highest level of antioxidants.
Dr Amir Khan has revealed why he eats berries every single day
Blueberries, blackberries and raspberries have the highest antioxidant levels according to Dr Khan
2. Berries help improve your insulin sensitivity
He explained how both laboratory and human studies have found that berries can improve our insulin resistance and lowers overall blood sugar levels.
High blood sugars may be linked to kidney problems, diabetes and heart disease.
'Berries may help improve blood sugars by improving your insulin response to high-carb meals, thus keeping blood sugars at healthy levels,' he said.
3. Berries are high in fiber
The doctor said berries contain fiber so it's good for our gut health.
'It keeps us fuller for longer,' he explained.
'It's thought a lot of people... don't get enough fiber in their diet so top up your fiber with a punnet of berries.'
Bec Hardgrave, a fitness expert from Brisbane, has a recipe for a healthy fruit roll up with strawberries, lemon and maple syrup
4. Berries help lower cholesterol
They can also help lower cholesterol levels - according to Dr Khan - and also prevent it from becoming oxidised or damaged.
'Initial students have shown that berries can lower our LDL cholesterol which is considered to be harmful cholesterol,' he explained.
High levels of cholesterol has led to major risk factor for heart disease.
5. Berries help keep our heart healthy
Dr Khan explained how the superfood help keep our arteries healthy.
'The inside of our blood vessels aligned with something called endothelial cells which have lots of important functions like controlling our blood pressure and helping with blood clotting,' he said.
'But those cells can become damaged through things like smoking which can stop them from doing their job as well. This is known as endothelial dysfunction but berries are thought to improve the function of our endothelial cells when eaten regularly.'
'Plus, they're absolutely delicious - so get them in your diet,' Dr Khan added.
Jessica Spendlove, a holistic high performance dietician from Sydney, spoke to Femail about how berries are full of health-promoting nutrients.
'Berries are an incredible food with anti inflammatory properties, which when eaten regularly, may benefit your memory and your overall brain health,' she said.
'Definitely one for people to look to include in their diet as much as possible.'
Fans of the fruit said they add berries to smoothies, porridge and yoghurt bowls, but others argued that they were too expensive to afford - especially in the current financial climate.
Dr Khan said that those who can't afford fresh berries should opt for the frozen version instead, as they have all of the wonderful health benefits at a much lower cost.
One woman complained that even though she regularly purchases the healthy fruit, she rarely gets the chance to enjoy it herself.
'Here's the issue though, I buy them, leave them in the kitchen and then my family demolish them before I can get to them,' she said.
Bec Hardgrave, a fitness expert from Brisbane, previously shared a simple recipe for enjoying the fruit in a video.
Her antioxidant-rich berry roll ups have just three ingredients: strawberries, lemon juice and maple syrup.
She simply cooked the berries down, popped them into a blender and then dehydrated the paste for a few hours in an oven set to a low temperature - giving her a healthy, homemade berry roll up.