Sweet, juicy and delicious berries are great for you in so many ways. Here are some of their benefits and how you can include more berries in your diet.
When it comes to favourite summer fruits, berries (all types) definitely top our list. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries — we love them all so much, we can’t choose just one. These naturally sweet fruits are versatile and loaded with antioxidants, making them incredibly healthy for you in so many ways. Here are some of the latest findings:
A new study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital has found that certain berries (such as strawberries and blueberries) can delay memory decline in older women by two and a half years. It’s the flavonoids in these berries that help keep your brain functioning more optimally and for longer.
In another study, this one published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers found that antioxidant-rich berries change the way neurons in the brain communicate. Thanks to this change in communication, less inflammation occurs, and thus less neuron damage.
If you eat berries regularly, you benefit from reducing your risk of Parkinson’s disease, says a study from the Harvard School of Public Health.
And in a study from Harvard and University of East Anglia, it was found that consuming blueberries can help protect you against high blood pressure.
Sound like quite the miracle food, don’t they? Here are ways to eat more berries on a regular basis.
Make a berry dressing
Berries are fantastic for making jams, but they’re also superb for making compotes, sauces and dressings. A fresh raspberry salad dressing is deliciously sweet and a nice change from savoury oil vinaigrettes. Gamy meats such as squab, duck and lamb have a rich, earthy flavour that work particularly well with a berry jus or glaze.
Use them as a topping
Toss them on top of your favourite salads, or to dress up your cereal, try them with steel cut oats or Greek yogourt. Of course, berries also work well on top of sweet dishes. Think ice cream, pancakes and waffles, for example.
Drink them
Include a mix of berries in your morning smoothie. Milk, banana and berries — what could be a simpler yet deliciously filling beverage?
Bake with them
Whole-grain blueberry muffins or a light version of a fruit crumble are naturally sweet ways to satisfy your sweet tooth. (Tip: To keep blueberries from staining your entire muffin dough blue, freeze the berries before incorporating them into your muffin batter.)
More about healthy foods
Foods that are good to your kidneys
Health benefits of berries
It’s time for spring fruits and vegetables
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