Across much of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, berries have been a staple of the diet, whether fresh, processed into juice concentrates, processed into jams and distilled alcoholic beverages.

They provided a crucial source of Vitamin C.

The pigments that give berries their beautiful blue and red hues are also good for your health. Berries contain phytochemicals and flavonoids that may help to prevent some diseases. Cranberries and blueberries contain a substance that may prevent bladder infections. Eating a diet rich in blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries and strawberries may help to reduce your risk of several types of cancers. Blueberries and raspberries also contain lutein, which is important for healthy vision.

By contrasting in colour with their background, berries are more attractive to animals that eat them, aiding in the dispersal of the plant's seeds.

Berry colours are due to natural pigments synthesized by the plant. Medical research has uncovered medicinal properties of pigmented polyphenols, such as flavonoids, anthocyanins, and tannins and other phytochemicals localized mainly in berry skins and seeds.

Berry pigments are usually antioxidants and thus have oxygen radical absorbance capacity ("ORAC") that is high among plant foods. Together with good nutrient content, ORAC distinguishes several berries within a new category of functional foods called "superfruits" as one of the top 10 food categories for growth in future.