It’s Berry Season: Good News for Your Whole Health Self-Care!

by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

It is berry-eating and picking season again! The most popular and health-supporting favorites – fresh-picked blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries can once again be found in abundance wherever produce is featured.

While these delightful fruits are some of the more popular fruits found in the grocery produce section, how they are grown and ripened is critically important to their effect on or detriment to your health. They are all kinds of delicious, and have been shown, like all fruits and vegetables, to contain phytosterols that provide many Whole Health Self Care benefits and work overtime to prevent disease.

Berries are produce that is among the highest in antioxidant content and they are excellent sources of several phytochemicals that appear to help block cancer development. Consuming them regularly is a good way to practice “preventive nutrition.”

Researchers at Clemson University looked into the cancer-fighting potential of various types and berries. In the Journal of Medicinal Food, the scientists note: “Plants are proven sources of useful anti-tumor and chemopreventative compounds. Hence, identification of phytochemicals useful in dietary prevention and intervention of cancer is of paramount importance.”

However, this year, blueberries have joined the top 12 fruits and vegetables on the “Dirty Dozen” list. This means purchasing organic berries not only provides better nutrition and disease prevention, but is also common-sense good self-care. The Clemson team concluded that even though these amazing fruits have mutagenic properties, if they are sprayed with pesticides and chemicals, these potentially healing and disease-preventing fruits can cause more harm than good and even contribute to a cancer diagnosis.

One of the more delicious ways to enjoy them is to blend them with a protein powder, yogurt, ice cream, or other favorite protein source and make a shake with them. Another option is using a bowl of fresh berries to act as a “health tonic” that is not only delicious, but easy and convenient to prepare, as well as one of the most intense disease prevention treats you can find.

Another popular and easy way to enjoy berries is in smoothies, either plain with a dollop of ice cream or yogurt, or with crushed ice chips and a sliced banana to add thickness and more delicious nutrients. Enjoy these wonderful fruits, become nourished and prevent disease all at the same time, but be sure they are not sprayed with pesticides or are raised organically to maximize Whole Health Self Care may help.

-G.