Berry, Berry Good!
August 8, 2016Berries are a true super food!
Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries are amongst the most highly researched foods for their health and nutritional benefits. Don’t forget about cranberries, which may contain more health benefits than the other berries by far. Berries are among their best between May and October, especially around the Chicago area. Strawberries rank the highest of berry consumption in the United States!
Health Benefits
Cranberries and UTIs?
We’ve all heard cranberry juice for preventing and treating urinary tract infections, but what does the research say? Research shows cranberries not only reduce the bacteria that sticks in the bladder, but also helps dental and stomach health, too. Avoid the dry, sweetened ones with tons of sugar added.
Blueberries for the brain? The compound in blueberries called anthocyanin (an anti-inflammatory antioxidant) has been linked with reducing Alzheimer’s Disease, Heart Disease and even Parkinson’s Disease. Blueberries are thought to be one of the highest health benefited foods of ….all time! Some studies show there are memory benefits and anti-cancer benefits from eating blueberries on the regular.
Some studies even show that beyond the antioxidants in raspberries for preventing cancer, the chemicals in them may actually send signals to kill cancer cells, too!
Nutritional Value
One cup of raspberries contains only 64 calories for a whopping 8 grams of fiber! Did you know raspberries also contain calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin K? With fresh cranberries containing 44 calories per cup, dried ones pack 370 calories mostly from sugar. A 1-cup serving of Blueberries (frozen or fresh!) contains less than 80 calories with vitamin K, vitamin C, copper and 4 grams of fiber! In any case, fruit does contain sugar, but it’s also packed with tons of other nutrients and fiber. Fruit makes a great dessert or snack, but be careful if you are just consuming multiple servings of fruit for a meal as it’s important to eat other things, too (proteins and healthy fats!).
