Red Raspberry Fruit Extract & Red Raspberry Seed Oil (Rubus Idaeus Fruit/Seed Extract/Oil)

The red raspberry is a viney bush native to Europe, with some species native to North America, and still cultivated primarily on just these two continents today. Both the sweet red fruit and the astringent leave have been used for generations in many culinary preparations and also for medicinal benefits. Most notably, raspberries have been used to treat colds, sore throats, diarrhea, and issues related to menstruation and pregnancy (particularly nausea, easing labor pain, and post-partum recovery).

The extract of red raspberries contains high amounts of polyphenol antioxidants such as anthocyanin pigments as well as carotenoids (such as beta-carotene pro-vitamin A), various forms of vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E tocopherols, folic acid, manganese, magnesium, copper, and iron. Raspberries rank towards the top among fruits in ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) value, particularly due to their dense contents of ellagic acid (from ellagotannins), quercetin, gallic acid, anthocyanins, cyanidins, pelargonidins, catechins, and kaempferol phytonutrients. It is important to note that paler, yellow raspberriess are lower in anthocyanin varieties that both impart color and are responsible for this his ORAC value.

The cold pressed, virgin (unheated/unprocessed) oil of the red raspberry seed contains a high ratio of essential fatty acids, especially omega-3 and omega-6. The omega-3 essential fatty acids combined with the many beneficial phytonutrients the oil contains are likely the reason that the oil of the red raspberry seed has been shown in lab tests to be a more effective anti-inflammatory topical ingredient for those with eczema and other skin irritation conditions than many other well-known anti-inflammatory oils like virgin avocado oil, grapeseed oil, hazelnut oil, and wheat germ oil. There is also evidence from clinical studies that red raspberry seed oil may act as a broad-spectrum UV-A and UV-B sunscreen, and SPF protection factor equal to titanium dioxide.