Culinary yoU: Berries: Natures Superfoods

This article was originally part of my article on our favorite morning smoothie recipes, but once that article hit six pages in length I decided that the health benefits of eating berries and why they should be incorporated into your LCHF / Keto eating regimen needed it's own article, and rightly so. Berries contain large amounts of healthy vitamins and antioxidants in a small package making them an important super food that everyone should have in their diet. According to the American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR) “When it comes to cancer prevention, berries are among the more diverse and powerful members of the fruit family. AICR’s expert report and its updates show that eating a diet high in fruit reduces the risk of cancers of the esophagus, lung, stomach, mouth, pharynx and larynx.”

While there are a lot of different berry options available to American consumers, I have listed in this article the most common types of berries one would find in their local supermarket. Yes, there are some berries that have been left out of this article, but these are our favorites and that ones that are easiest to acquire for most consumers. We are fortunate that we grow our own blackberries (which we freeze) and a small amount of strawberries on our homestead, but we purchase frozen blueberries and some strawberries from our local supermarket to go into our smoothies. While I am sure that fresh berries are a better option, frozen berries are quite a bit more convenient. Having said that if you get the opportunity to purchase fresh berries on sale, you can freeze them yourself to keep them increase their shelf life.

Blackberries

Blackberries are high in vitamins A, B9 (folate), C, E, K, manganese, and ellagic acids. In addition, they have high levels of the soluble fiber which has been linked in many studies to lower cholesterol. According to studies performed at Ohio State University, blackberries contain powerful antioxidant (polyphenol) that may lower your risk for cardiovascular disease as well as cancer fighting compounds that may reduce the risks of certain types of cancer.

1 cup – Calories 62, 6 net carbs

¾ cup – Calories 46.5, 4.5 net carbs

½ cup – Calories 31, 3 net carbs

¼ cup – Calories 15.5, 1.5 net carbs

Blueberries

Like blackberries, blueberries contain not only powerful antioxidants, but high amounts of phyonutrients that work to neutralize free radial tissue damage as well as being an excellent source of vitamins C, K, and dietary fiber. According to research from Tufts University, blueberries rank at the top of the list when it comes to their antioxidant capabilities when compared to other berries. The AICR states, “We now know that blueberries are one of the best sources of antioxidants, substances that can slow the aging process and reduce cell damage that can lead to cancer.” Blueberries also contain flavonoids (anthocyanins) that make the arteries more elastic which lower blood pressure, and may prevent plaque buildup.

1 cup – Calories 85, 17 net carbs

¾ cup – Calories 63.75, 12.75 net carbs

½ cup – Calories 42.5, 8.5 net carbs

¼ cup – Calories 21.25, 4.25 net carbs

Raspberries

Like Blackberries, raspberries are high in vitamins B9, C, E, manganese, magnesium, and dietary fiber as well as polyphenols that help to reduce cardiovascular disease. In fact, ½ cup a a day will supply you with 25% of your recommended intake of both vitamin C and manganese. “The high polyphenol content of raspberries may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by preventing platelet buildup and reducing blood pressure via anti-inflammatory mechanism” (Ware, 2016). Many sources also suggest that the same polyphenols that protect against heart disease may also slow the growth of esophageal, lung, mouth, pharynx, endometrial, pancreatic, prostate, and colon cancers.

1 cup – Calories 65, 7 net carbs

¾ cup – Calories 48.75, 5.25 net carbs

½ cup – Calories 32.5, 3.5 net carbs

¼ cup – Calories 16.25, 1.75 net carbs

Strawberries

Strawberries contain high levels of vitamins B6, B9, C, E, K, and manganese as well ellagic acid, and are a good source of dietary fiber. Current research suggest that ellagic acid uses a variety of approaches to slow the reproduction of cancer cells by not only acting as an antioxidant, but by deactivating specific carcinogens that may cause cancer. Studies conducted at Cornell University “demonstrated that strawberries stopped the proliferation of HepG(2) liver cancer cells. Another study showed that a substance found in the berry called isothiocyanate inhibited esophageal cancer” (Edward, 2015). In addition, strawberries like blueberries contain flavonoids (anthocyanins) that make the arteries more elastic which lower blood pressure. Like raspberries, the high levels of polyphenols in strawberries may reduce the risk of plaque buildup in the arteries.

1 cup – Calories 54, 10 net carbs

¾ cup – Calories 40.5, 7.5 net carbs

½ cup – Calories 27, 5 net carbs

¼ cup – Calories 13.5, 2.5 net carbs

Conclusion

As you can see berries should be an integral part of your LCHF and Keto eating regimen, although they should be consumed in moderation, especially if you are on a strict (< 20 grams of carbohydrates per day) LCHF / Keto regimen. While berries have many great properties, the one caveat of course is that some berries are higher in carbohydrates than others due to their natural sugar content. Blueberries for example are rated the highest in their vitamin and antioxidant properties, but they also contain the most carbohydrates at 17 net carbs per cup, while blackberries contain the least amount with only 6 net carbs per cup.

According to the Diet Doctor website, a recommended serving size for berries by 100 grams or 3.5 ounces by weight, which comes out the be about ¾ cup when using a measuring cup. Many people eat their berries with whipped cream (made with heavy whipping cream and sweetener), but we eat our berries almost exclusively in our morning smoothies, which of course is where this originally article evolved from. As always, I hope that you have found this article informative and beneficial for you and your family, if so please take the time to share it with your friends so that they can benefit as well. Don't forget to follow us on out Facebook Page 'CulinaryYouLCHF' or add us to your circle Google+.

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Berries: Natures Superfoods

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