Raspberries can’t replace aspirin for relief of pain
Dear Dr. Blonz: Is there salicylic acid in raspberries? And if so, isn’t that the active ingredient in aspirin? An article I read said that having raspberries could be as effective as drugs for pain. If true, is there any concern for people who avoid aspirin because of blood-clotting? — D.F., Hayward, California
DEAR D.F.: Salicylic acid (salicylate) is indeed present in raspberries, along with a variety of other plant foods including fruits, vegetables and spices. Naturally occurring salicylates serve a variety of functions in the plant world, including acting as a type of plant hormone.
The active ingredient in aspirin is a type of salicylate — in that case, acetyl salicylic acid. So, if the compounds are similar, can the salicylic acid in raspberries (or other foods) provide pain relief “as effective as drugs,” and do those on anticoagulants need to be concerned? The answer to both issues is “doubtful,” because of the relatively small amount of the substance in food.
Studies rank the salicylate content of foods from “negligible” to “very high.” The “very high” ranking applies to foods containing more than 1 milligram per 100-gram (3.5-ounce) serving. A 100-gram serving of raspberries, which would be approximately 50 berries, is estimated to have about 5 milligrams of salicylate. Compare this with a single adult aspirin tablet, which contains 325 milligrams of acetyl salicylic acid.
Curious thing about advertising: It may tout the presence of a compound and all that it can do, but there is often this disconnect when it comes to the amount of the compound per serving. Often, that amount isn’t up to the task.
I don’t want to knock berries; they are great foods. Red raspberries, like other berries, have a host of healthful phytochemicals. Consider that pain can have an oxidative component in addition to its inflammatory component. Berries provide antioxidants along with their (admittedly low) dose of salicylate.
Bottom line: It’s fair to say that eating raspberries can help the cause of some types of pain, but over the line to claim that they can be as effective at pain relief as a pharmaceutical agent designed, dosed and chosen for the job.