The Magic of Berries
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Berries are a powerful tool for our health but due to their sometime limited supply and somewhat hefty price tag many people exclude them from their diet. Most people know that berries can be an excellent source of fiber which is great for digestion, your health, and can even help in lowering cholesterol and managing type-2 diabetes, but there’s a magic about berries that put them up there as one of the best fruits around…..OK, OK, it’s not magic but what it can do for your health is amazing.
Most berries contain a very high amount of antioxidants. Acai, Goji, Elderberries, Cranberries, Blueberries, Blackberries and Raspberries being some of the highest on the list! In fact these berries make up 7 of the top ORAC rating fruits and berries. ORAC stands for “Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity” and essentially is the rating on how well it can fight free radicals in our body. Free radicals which are unavoidable has been linked to many adverse health effects including Cancer as a big one. Having a diet that is high in top ORAC rated fruits and vegetables is a great way to combat free-radicals and keep your body healthy long-term. On top of lower free-radical numbers, these fruits and vegetables are also a great way to control your body’s PH which is also crucial for long-term health.
Most berries also have high values of folate, B vitamins which also can improve or help with hair, cardiovascular disease and even mood disorders.
When not in season or if the price of fresh berries is out of range for you, try looking in your grocers frozen food isle, frozen berries are usually cheaper (per pound) and still contain all the nutrition of the fresh berries.
I love to put a cup of frozen mixed berries in my protein smoothies. It’s a great way to get all the health benefits and enjoy the great taste of a sweet protein shake. Here is my go-to recipe straight out of my JRF Recipes for Success Recipe Book available now (http://jeremyreidfitness.com/recipes)
Berry-Vanilla Smoothie
1 cup Pasteurized Liquid Egg Whites
Ice cubes (roughly 1- 1 1/2 cups ice)
1 scoop Ice Cream Sandwich flavor Level-1 protein powder (LINK to protein with free US shipping)
1 cup mixed frozen (or fresh) berries (blackberry, raspberry, blueberry preferred)
2 Stevia packets (if you like it super sweet like I do!)Nutrition: Protein: 50g, Carbs: 29, Fat: 2.5
Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
About The Author
Jeremy Reid
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