JULY IS PRIME BERRY SEASON— though those of us who eagerly await strawberry season and enjoy making a special day of picking our own were fortunate in that they came early this year!
There’s just something about the taste of fresh berries that seems to capture the essence of the summer season! Sure, you can get berries year-round nowadays, but summer berries are available at the best price and are the best tasting.
Not only are berries delightfully flavorful, but they’re also bursting with vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium, and loaded with fiber and anthocyanins—phytochemicals that fight free radicals in your body. (Free radicals are unstable molecules that attack important macromolecules in the body, leading to cell damage and homeostatic disruption.)
Furthermore, berries have been studied in connection with several health benefits, such as reducing heart disease and supporting brain health, and they have been found to be beneficial in controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, artery function, and blood sugar. Berries have also been identified as superfoods, as all fruits should, so eat them when you can!
We’re all familiar with good old-fashioned strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries, but that’s just scratching the surface when it comes to the varieties of berries available out there. In fact, there are more than 25 different types and 400 species from around the world in varying colors, sizes, flavors, and nutrient profiles. Some less common ones that you may or may not have heard of are elderberries, boysenberries, acai, and goji berries.
Berries are most nutritious and flavorful when fresh, but they can spoil relatively quickly, which wastes money, nutrients, and environmental resources. To maximize their shelf life, be sure to store them correctly. Refrigerate unwashed berries in their packages, which should be breathable. If they begin to overripen, freeze them in a single layer and then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container.
There are so many ways to enjoy berries! They’re perfect for smoothies, oatmeal topping, and baking. You can add them to fruit and green salads, blend them into relish or salsa, sprinkle them over hot or cold cereal, puree and freeze them into popsicles, or add them to desserts like frozen custard and frozen yogurt. You can use them in sauces for fish, chicken, pork, or any dish that can use a punch of flavor. Or you can simply enjoy them plain! Simply put, berries can work for any meal or snack and are versatile enough to be used in sweet treats as well as savory recipes.
However you prefer your berries (see the recipe on this page for another delicious option), there’s no time like the present—when they’re most affordable and at their seasonal best—to boost your berry intake. But keep in mind that berries aren’t strictly summertime fare. If you store them smartly, they can last well beyond the summer months, and buying berries frozen will ensure you have a good supply of these delicious nutritional powerhouses all year long.
Laurie Syring, RDN/LD, is Clinical Nutrition Manager at ProMedica Flower Hospital. ✲
Red, White, and Blueberry Yogurt Parfait
Ingredients:
½ cup vanilla yogurt
4 fresh strawberries, sliced
¼ cup blueberries
1½ oz granola
Layer into a clear parfait cup:
¼ cup yogurt
Sliced strawberries
¼ cup yogurt
Blueberries
Top with granola and enjoy!
