Archive: Around Town

Assuming that you’re a faithful reader of this column, you will have recently learned that eating blueberries with milk will limit the health benefits of the berries but that cooking or freezing them will not.

This week I’d like to broaden the focus and briefly discuss the health benefits of blueberries, along with raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.

First, a quick nod to the amazing benefits of blueberries.  Would you be surprised to learn that a half cup of blueberries supplies the antioxidant power equal to five cups of peas, apples, squash, broccoli, or carrots?  Well, it’s true. And that half cup of blueberries has a whopping two grams of fiber which we know aids the digestive tract.  Blueberries also are a low glycemic index carbohydrate which makes them a particularly good choice for diabetics as well as the rest of us. Some scientists believe blueberries relieve the risk of stroke and heart disease, prevent urinary tract infections, and even can prevent some forms of cancer.  I use blueberries in my morning shakes. I buy them in bulk during the summer, freeze most of them, then use them frozen during the nine months they’re no longer available fresh.

Raspberries are an aggregate fruit meaning smaller sections of the fruit with seeds combine together to make a larger whole. They are an excellent source of Vitamin C, B2, B3, folate, and magnesium. I’ll bet you didn’t know that raspberries are loaded ellagitannins. These are naturally occurring compounds that appear to cause potent anti-cancer activity. Raspberries have 50% more antioxidant capacity than strawberries and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition places them among the top 15 anti-oxidant sources.

Speaking of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, they list blackberries as the single most anti-oxidant rich food among all of the 1,113 tested. Blackberries are also low on the glycemic index making them a good choice for diabetics.

Strawberries are loaded with Vitamin C and fiber and have lots of anti-oxidants. They can help to prevent heart disease, and protect against some forms of cancer and inflammatory diseases. The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry lists them as one of the top 20 antioxidant sources.

As I write this, there’s a berry large smile on my face because I don’t always enjoy foods that are “good” for me.  However, with berries, they’re not only healthy, I actually like them!  And, they are truly versatile.  I’ve been known to add them to blender shakes, use them as a topping for salads and cereals, include them in pies and other baked goods, sprinkle them over ice-cream, and serve them by themselves with perhaps a little sugar or a dollop – no, make that several large dollops - of freshly made whipped cream. Fresh berries won’t be available much longer so I hope this week’s column has inspired you to buy some on your next shopping trip. I hope you understand that I wouldn’t be suggesting this if I didn’t think it was a berry good idea.

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