Berries - Health Essentials
Berries - Health Essentials
Berries - Health Essentials
Pigment is the component in berries that gives them their bright color, as well as providing their powerful natural health effects.
That's because those vibrant, pigmented colors contain phytonutrients and flavonoids, which have been linked to the prevention of some types of cancer.
Berries can be purchased fresh, frozen, canned or dried. When choosing fresh berries, make sure they are firm, colorful and ripe, but not mushy or moldy.
Tip: if berries have a bright, sweet odor, they are ripe and ready for purchase. (You can usually find the freshest berries at your local farmer's market or berry farm.)
Berries are easy to prepare and are naturally sweet. They can make for a healthful snackas well asa deliciously divine treat for dessert.
Quick Serving Tips:
Mix fresh berries into a fruit salad
Mix with a dollop of whipped cream
Blend into a smoothie
Add some to cereal or oatmeal
Stir into a serving of yogurt
Try a sprinkle of dried berries on a green salad
Add dried berries to a fresh trail mix
Enjoy fresh strawberries or raspberries drizzled with chocolate syrup yum!
Health Benefits of Popular Berries
Strawberries: As these are highly perishable, they should be used within a few days of purchase. Strawberries do not ripen after picking, so choose medium-sized berries of a deep red color, and look for those that are firm and mold-free, with an attached green cap. With 45 calories in a one cup serving, strawberries are high in vitamin C, manganese, dietary fiber, iodine, potassium and folate. Strawberries are also a rich source of phenols which protect cell structure, and they have properties which inhibit the enzyme cyclooxygenase that can cause inflammation in the body.
Cranberries: Fresh cranberries are best when harvested from October through December which makes them a popular choice for holiday meals. One cup of cranberries contains 50 calories and is a good source of vitamin C, dietary fiber, manganese and vitamin K. Consumption of cranberries helps prevent urinary tract and kidney infection, reduces the formation of kidney stones, increases the level of HDL (or good cholesterol) and enhances blood vessel function. Also, cranberries contain anthocyanidins which inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
Blueberries: The blueberry, which is a cousin of the cranberry, is in season from May to October. Blueberries range from deep blue to maroon in color and feature a white waxy cover. Containing 80 calories in a one-cup serving, blueberries are high in Vitamin C, manganese, dietary fiber and vitamin E. Like cranberries, blueberries are packed with anthocyanidins which help to neutralize cell damage from free radicals. Blueberries may also help shield the brain from oxidative stress which can reduce the effects of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Raspberries: These delicate bramble berries with a hollow core are a member of the rose family and should be purchased only a day or two prior to use. One cup of raspberries measures 60 calories and is high in manganese, dietary fiber, vitamin C, folate and vitamin B2. Like other berries, raspberries are very high in antioxidants, containing 50% more than strawberries, and freezing does not seem to affect these numbers. Raspberries may also contain compounds that protect against age-related macular degeneration.
Fresh Berry Alternatives
Berries are delicious and nutritious. For a naturally-sweet snack or side dish that is chock full of healthy goodness, make berries a part of your daily diet.
For those who struggle just to gettheir 5 daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, berries can be a bigger challenge to get into their diet on a regular basis. The natural health formulators at Institute for Vibrant Living (IVL) have addressedthose nutritional needs by creating Berry Essentials.
Just one tablespoon ofBerry Essentialssuperfood drink mix provides the following:
Black Cherry (fruit)
Black Raspberry (fruit)
Cabbage Palm Fruit (acai berry)
Beet Powder (root)
Blackberry (fruit)
Black Currants (fruit)
Blueberry (fruit)
Lycium Fruit (goji berry)
Cranberry Powder (fruit)
Mangosteen
Elderberries (fruit)
Acerola (fruit)
Bilberries (fruit)
Camu-Camu (fruit)
Purple Carrot (root)
Tomato Powder (fruit)
Banana Powder (fruit)
Fruit & Vegetable Blend of the following:
(Green Tea Extract, Quercitin, Blueberry, Cranberry, Pomegranate, Raspberry, Strawberry, Broccoli, Carrot, Kale, Resveratrol, Spinach, Tomato, Wild Blueberry Extract, Maltodextrin, Corn Starch, Lecithin, Cane Sugar, Natural Blueberry Flavor.)
Green Tea Extract (leaf)
Guava (fruit)
(To learn more about Berry Essentials visit IVLProducts.com)
We can all agree that berries are delicious as well as nutritious. For a naturally-sweet snack or side dish that is chock full of healthy goodness, we encourage you to make berries a regular part of your daily diet.
And when you just don't have the time for fresh or frozen berry gathering, taking a natural berry supplement makes perfect sense - to help keep your body in tip-top health!
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