Very berry
Let's talk about organic
berries - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and
blackberries.
It's already peak season
for strawberries and raspberries. Over the next few
weeks, you'll find blueberries and blackberries more
available (and more affordable) at your local market.
I think you'd agree that
the first thing you think about when the subject of berries
comes up is ... flavor. Who can resist snacking on a
few fresh organic berries (who ate the whole basket?) on the
way home from shopping? And who hasn't thoroughly
enjoyed the delightful flavor of fresh organic berries on
cereal, pancakes or mixed with plain yogurt?
The next thing that comes
to mind is technique - how to buy, handle, store and use
organic berries in your diet. In the column to the
right, we've listed some good Internet resources that cover
these topics pretty well. Check them out.
But beyond flavor and
recipes, one topic that may not come to mind is ...
nutrition. It turns out that organic berries are
nutritional powerhouses and that, ounce for ounce, they may
be one of the most balanced sources of nutrition available
to us. And this is worth talking about!
Berries
are "nutrient dense"
In terms of traditional
nutrients, these four berries are dense in nutrients.
They are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K and
manganese. They are a very good source of dietary
fiber and iodine and a good source of vitamins B5 and B6,
potassium, copper and more.
Fact - If your eight year
old ate eight strawberries a day, they would receive more
than 100% of the USDA's minimum daily requirement of vitamin
C.
But that's not the whole
nutritional story. Many recent research projects (see
the links to the right) conclude that eating berries may:
1. decrease the risk of
certain cancers,
2. aid in fighting heart
disease,
3. inhibit neural
inflammation,
4. moderate the effects
of age-related brain decline, improve learning ability and
motor skills,
5. reduce age-related
vision loss.
(Wow, I really like
number 4!)
Berries are famous for
containing numerous phenols, which have an anti-oxidant
effect that combats the deterioration of cells and organs
due to "oxygen stress" and aging.
These anti-oxidants,
combined with other more esoteric nutrients, make berries
unique as a fruit. These are fruits that can protect
your heart, inhibit cancer and reduce inflammation all in
one fell swoop, while tasting delicious. And you don't
have to go to the pharmacy and rely on expensive
prescription drugs (and their attendant side-effects) to
gain these benefits!
New
dietary guidelines
You may have seen or
heard about the new dietary guidelines that the USDA
published in April. They call for two cups of
vegetables and two cups of fruit a day to maintain or build
health. If you use organic strawberries, raspberries,
blueberries and/or blackberries to fill one of the two cups
of fruit, you'll not only enjoy a flavorful treat but you'll
also gain exceptional nutritional benefits.
Contact
us
You can find these organic
berries, along with other fresh, tasty
and nutritious organic fruits and vegetables from Goodness Greeness at your local market. Email us
at
newsletter@goodnessgreeness.com if you can't find them and we'll help you
locate them. |
