Berry Boost: Why You Should Eat them Daily
March 27, 2019
Berries are not only delicious, they also offer enormous health benefits. The problem is, in areas like mine, they aren’t available year round. Or when they are they just aren’t as tasty as when they’re fresh and in season.
One solution? Keep frozen berries around for when you can’t get them fresh. A daily dose of berries is a super health boost!
Why should we eat berries daily?
All berries are a great source of fiber and most of us consume far too little fiber in our diet. Adding a handful of berries can help boost that intake.
Berries are also packed with antioxidants that help our bodies fight inflammation.
When we crave sweets, berries can hit the spot while still keeping calories low. They are a perfect in-between meal snack that won’t pack on pounds.
Berries serve up many vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, folate, manganese, vitamin K, and copper.
How can we add berries to our diet?
Besides eating berries right out of a bowl, one of the most popular uses for them is in smoothies. Add a generous handful of fresh or frozen berries to your next smoothie for a sweet and tasty treat.
Here are several other ways to incorporate berries to your diet daily:
- For breakfast, add a scoop of berries to oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, or on top of your waffles! They are versatile and tasty with many different foods.
- Try an Acai bowl! These ultra popular bowls are packed with fruits and can be a meal or a satisfying dessert. Get one instead of ice cream when you’re out and about.
- Top salads with berries for lunch or dinner. Strawberries are delicious over spinach or with chicken salad. Cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries can be added to salads too, each adding a distinct flavor and touch of sweetness. There are also the less common, equally healthy and delicious berries like cranberries and goji berries.
- For dessert, there’s nothing as simple and tasty as strawberry shortcake or my kids favorite: plain strawberries with whipped cream.
This year, make it a plan to head to your local farmers markets for fresh berries. Better yet, when in season, pack the family and go berry picking! Kids love to pick berries straight from the vein, and it’s a fun family experience if you’ve never done it. My kids ask me to go every year now. I treasure these berry picking afternoons and I’m sure you will too.
