Berries, a truly super food, part 1

Bowl of fresh, organic blackberries

Sweet, plump and juicy, antioxidants? Delicious phytonutrients? These somewhat intimidating words are making the news, but what are they? The very simplified version is this, they keep us healthy. Antioxidants help fight free radicals, a byproduct created when your cells use oxygen, and phytonutrients are the nutritional compounds found in in food. Some of the more well known phytonutrients are isoflavone, lycopene and beta-carotene. Antioxidents and phytonutrients are just two of the phytochemicals necessary for good health. They’ve been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and more.

Best of all fresh, organic fruits and vegetables are filled with these vital nutrients. Some of the tastiest foods on earth are actually some of the healthiest. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries to name a few are all in season now, at local farms in the Bay Area and across the country. These berries are not just delicious in flavor, but they also serve up some of the highest nutrition per serving.

As I’ve written about before, organic foods have been proven to provide a higher rate of these necessary nutrients, and berries are incredibly susceptible to pesticide absorption, so, if for no other reason, you should always keep your berries organic. Of course, there are many other reasons for buying organic, healthy planet and healthy bodies.

There are a number of great places to buy berries, farmers’ markets, through a CSA, your favorite local organic market, or pick your own. Picking your own is a great way to meet the farmer who grew your food, they also usually have great recipes, sometimes their own family recipes, that have been formulated for their specific berries’ sweet/tart combination, and you’ll meet other local berry lovers. Take a look at PickYourOwn.org to find a farm near you.

Sneak Peek, coming soon, a few favorite ways to eat berries.