Trying to Maximize Your Running Potential? Haskap Berries Increase Endurance and Aid Recovery Time
As runners, we explore any possible running tips that can improve our game. Google alone shows nearly five billion results for “running tips.” Some are anecdotal, and some are scientifically tested. Luckily for you we have some info that falls into the latter: Studies on the haskap berry have shown to provide both more endurance and recovery to runners specifically, along with many other benefits to non-runners as well.
What is a Haskap Berry?
When you discover the benefits and long history of the haskap berry, you’ll be surprised that you hadn’t heard of it before, but there’s a reason: these berries flourish in cold weather climates so they are mostly found in Siberia, northern Japan, Tibet and the Canadian prairies, where the temperature dips below -50 degrees Celsius. The berries struggle so much to survive that they in turn produce some of the most nutrient dense fruit in North America. The berry goes by many names. Haskap’s latin name is lonicera caerulea, but it has also been called: blue fly honeysuckle, sweetberry honeysuckle, blue honeysuckle, honeyberry and more. In Japan haskap has been called the berry of long life and good vision. In Tibet, the leaves of the haskap berry are used to steep in broth and serve medicinally.
Haskap Berry: Look and Flavor
Haskap berries have a great flavor. Some say it tastes like a mix between blueberries and raspberries; others say it reminds them of a grape flavored fruit rollup without the sugar content. These berries blend well in smoothies, so some haskap in your daily smoothie may be a great way to get the energizing and anti-inflammatory benefits of haskap. You can also take haskap berry as a concentrated juice - a daily shot first thing in the morning, which is both easy and delicious. The haskap berry resembles an oval and elongated blueberry with a similar beautiful blue hue to it.
Why The Haskap Berry Works According to Science
It has been shown in research that foods high in anthocyanins may improve exercise performance and recovery - thanks to its high anti-inflammatory content. Anthocyanins are known to be strong antioxidants and to quote this study on anthocyanins, “Anthocyanins possess antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-obesity effects, as well as prevention of cardiovascular diseases.” Other berries such as blueberries and acai have many anthocyanins, but the haskap berry is known to have 6x the amount of anthocyanins as a blueberry.
Haskap Benefits For Runners and Athletes
A specific study haskap endurance benefits gathered 30 recreational runners to be part of the placebo or berry group. Participants were given haskap berries in the form of powder. The study had many limitations for participants related to energy which you can read in the actual study, but the main findings were:
The current study showed for the first time that Haskap berry consumption can improve time to exhaustion and 5 km time trial running performance by >2%, compared to a placebo control.
We understand that this means the running was improved by 0.25km/h. What an easy way to increase your endurance: adding some haskap powder into your daily diet. It appears that those looking for extra energy and endurance can obtain it through haskap berries, and more conveniently, haskap powder.
Conclusion
Haskap berries contain some of the most anthocyanins when compared to other berries, along with nutritional density
The haskap berry appears to improve endurance among runners specifically and show many health benefits for anyone who takes the berry.
Haskap berries appear to provide the benefits, even in powder form
For those in the US, haskap powder is easily available at the Sweet Prairie Haskap store on Amazon or www.sweetprairiehaskap.com.
References
Haskap Berry Studies for Runners: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/4/780
Haskap Berry Study Breakdown Article: https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2022/02/16/Haskap-berries-can-boost-running-performance-study-suggests
Study on Anthocyanins: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5613902/