Let’s talk berries! At Elite Farms, we love fresh produce, and one of our favorite parts of the business is berries.
Often referred to as nature’s candy, berries both taste amazing and provide a wide variety of health benefits to those who choose to incorporate them into their diet on a regular basis. There are tons of ways to make these delicious fruits a dietary staple, from smoothies to salads, or just throwing them in a bag to take on the go. Healthy fast-food? Yes, it’s a thing, but that’s a blog for another day.
In the meantime, here are some of the benefits you can expect to experience when adding more berries to your eating regimen.
Berries keep you mentally sharp
Certain antioxidants and flavonoids in berries keep your brain in shape. Eat a mixture of berries to experience the individual benefits of each one as they all have different nutrients to offer when it comes to the brain’s cognitive function and memory. Therefore you might notice a greater positive cognitive response from one versus the other. It all depends on your chemical makeup.
Berries help to maintain diabetes
Berries are a great sweet snack for diabetics due to the fiber contained within them, which helps maintain the chemical balance. Like any sugary snack though, it’s important to be measured in the amount. As described on Everyday Health, “In general, it’s better to eat fruit whole rather than drink juice, which is much higher in sugar and doesn’t contain fiber. And even though the health benefits of berries still count when they are included in another food, the nutrition boost is better when you choose fresh blueberries over a blueberry pie or a muffin.”
Reduced risk of Parkinson’s
While Parkinson’s tends to be a largely gray area in the medical field, there have been studies showing that berries can offer some help. As explained on Live Science, “Participants who ate one or more servings of berry fruits each week were around 25 percent less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than those who did not eat berry fruits. Strawberries and blueberries were the top two sources of anthocyanins.”
Energy boost
The healthy and easily digestible sugars and antioxidants found in berries can make for a great pick me up in the afternoon if you’re experiencing some fatigue. Adding them to a smoothie in the morning can give you a steady supply of energy to start the day.
Increased heart health
It’s been proven time and time again that eating a healthy diet increases the health of your heart, therefore, decreasing your chances of heart attack. Eating a wide variety of berries should be part of that and eaten throughout the week. Remember to eat all different kinds- not just one.
Weight control
Since berries contain both fiber and water, you will stay satiated for longer periods of time. Due to their sweetness, you can use them to satisfy cravings instead of other unhealthy snacks. You also reap health benefits in the process.
These are just a few of the highlights to keep in mind now that berry season is in full swing! Aim to eat fresh berries every day or every other day to receive the maximum health benefits.
For our prezi presentation – check here.