Feature Articles: Food, Fitness and Eating Well
Berries Pack a Healthful Punch
Tammy Roberts, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist in Barton County, University of Missouri Extension
One of the best aspects of spring is that the flowers start blooming and for many there is no more welcome site than that of the first strawberry blossoms. Those blossoms mean that the fresh sweet berry will soon follow. Fresh strawberries are always something to look forward to because they just taste so good after a long winter. Berries – and not just strawberries – not only taste good, they are good for you.
Strawberries have only 22 calories, 5 grams of carbohydrate and provide two grams of fiber for every half cup serving. To enjoy them at their best, strawberries must be handled with care. To wash strawberries, hold them under gently running cool water just long enough to remove the dirt. Don’t soak strawberries as they will absorb water and lose flavor. For the best flavor, wash strawberries just before you are going to use them. Strawberries can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Blackberries have 37 calories, 9 grams of carbohydrate and four grams of fiber for every half cup. Be sure and use or freeze your blackberries soon after picking because they spoil quickly.
Blueberries have 41 calories, 10 grams of carbohydrate and 2 grams of fiber in a half cup. Like other berries, blueberries are a good source of vitamin C.
Raspberries are very fragile and easily damaged. If you buy them fresh, eat them within one to two days. Wash raspberries just before you are going to eat them because they can absorb the water diluting the taste. Raspberries have 30 calories, 7 grams of carbohydrate and 4 grams of fiber for every half cup.
For fresh fruit year-round, berries can be frozen for later use. The National Center for Home Food Preservation lists one way to freeze strawberries is to add ¾ cup sugar to one quart of strawberries and mix thoroughly. Let stand 15 minutes and then pack into containers leaving headspace for expansion and freeze. Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries can be frozen whole. It is not recommended that you wash blueberries before you freeze them as that will make for a tougher skin when you are ready to use them. Wash them just before you are going to use them.
There are many ways to add berries to a healthful diet: Sprinkle them on your cereal, add them to yogurt, to your favorite fruit salad or as a topping on pancakes. You might just savor the flavor more by eating them just as they are.
Last update: Tuesday, May 06, 2008
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