After the unusually long and harsh winter, mother nature finally decided to spoil us with
beautiful warm weather, lots of sunshine and abundance of colourful, fragrant, nutritious fruits and vegetables. The taste of strawberries or radishes, that were picked the night before, is beyond comparison. Moreover, locally grown produce that was harvested ripe during peak season, provides a much higher nutritional value than foods shipped from great distances and “artificially” ripened with the aid of ethylene gas. By consuming locally grown foods, your body receives all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other phytonutrients that it needs for optimal functioning.
Berries are superstars among fruits not only because of their sweet, delicious taste but also because of their versatile use. They are great enjoyed as a snack, as a topping on your favourite morning cereal or as an addition in a summer salad. Berries are also among the favourite ingredients of shakes and smoothies as well as baking recipes. Most importantly however, they are loaded with health-supporting compounds.
The phenolic phytonutrients of strawberries, which provide their rich red colour, are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. These fragrant berries also harbour the anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic ellagic acid, a nice amount of vitamin C (about 85 mg per cup) as well as important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. And all this comes with only about 50 calories per cup!
Refrigerate strawberries as soon as you bring them home. This way you can keep them fresh up to 3 days. They also can be stored in the freezer for a few months and used as an addition in a smoothie or shake in the middle of winter reminding us of the hot summer days!
High Energy Breakfast Shake
In a blender combine 1 banana, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1 1/2 cups unsweetened orange juice, 1/2 cup water and your favourite protein addition, such as almond butter, spirulina or protein powder.
(The World’s Healthiest Foods by George Mateljan)
Blueberries are well known as brain food, their polyphenol compounds keep your memory sharp. They also supply active compounds promoting eye health (hence the name “the vision fruit”) and cardiovascular health. These dark blue berries have been tested to have one of the highest ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) values among foods, which indicates their tremendous ability to protect cells from damage caused by free-radicals. While they contain over 60 nutrients, one cup of fresh blueberries provides only 81 calories!
Blueberries bruise easily, so handle them with care. They are very perishable, therefore it is best to refrigerate them and eat them as soon as possible. They can also be stored frozen since freezing results in minimal loss of nutrients. However, higher temperature causes nutrient damage, therefore it is best to eat them fresh.
5-Minute Fresh Blueberries with Yogurt
• 2 cups of fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1 tbsp chopped walnuts
• Optional: 2 tsp grated dark chocolate
Place blueberries into two bowls. Top with yogurt, walnuts and chocolate. Serves 2.
(The World’s Healthiest Foods by George Mateljan)
What makes raspberries so special among fruits? First of all, they are a high-fibre powerhouse. 1 cup of fresh raspberries provides 8 g of dietary fibre but only 64 calories! Nutrients which give raspberries their deep red colour have been shown to support healthy cell structures by providing powerful antioxidant protection from free-radicals. Raspberries also contain calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin C and bone-building vitamin K.
Raspberries, along with strawberries, are often highly contaminated with agricultural chemicals, thus I recommend buying their organic varieties when available. Fresh raspberries can last up to 3 days when refrigerated.
Berry Chia Pudding
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 can coconut milk or 1 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 2 tsp organic vanilla
• 1/4 cup water (add more if you want it less pudding-like)
Mix the seeds and vanilla into coconut milk. Cover and place in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. The next morning, remove about 1 cup from the container and top it with raspberries. Enjoy! Leave the rest of the pudding in your fridge and use it later as a snack.
(www.joyoushealth.ca)
Considering all the health-promoting benefits that berries can offer I encourage you to visit your local farmer’s market and pick your favourite kind that have probably been harvested just a few hours earlier. Your other option is to visit farms that allow you to pick your own fruits and taste the difference that freshness can make! (To find the closest pick-your-own farm visit www.foodlink.ca).
– By Marianna Duba M.Sc., Holistic Nutritionist