motd Wed Apr 25, 2012 - berries

[Guest guest]

BERRY-GO-ROUND

Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Strawberries and blueberries and raspberries,

oh my! I just love berries,

don't you? And thank goodness, with spring here and

summer on the way, we're entering the peak of berry

season! Mmmmm!

If you're one of those people lucky enough to pick

berries from your own garden or even gathering some in

the woods, you already know how wonderful and tasty

freshly picked berries are. But if you live in the

city, this time of year, you can usually find fresh

berries at the supermarket or a local farmer's market.

Besides being tasty,

berries are very nutritious and low in calories, too.

I never tasted a berry I didn't like. But

besides being tasty, berries are very nutritious and

low in calories, too. (Talk about a good deal!)

For instance, one cup of fresh

strawberries contains over 100 mg of vitamin C.

Remember, we need vitamin C to help support strong

immune systems for our bodies. Strawberries also provide us with

calcium, pottasium and magnesium.

And...you're consuming only 53

calories enjoying that one cup of

strawberries.

But wait, those tasty little blueberries aren't going

to be outdone. They also give your body a good dose

of Vitamin C and only 83 calories. Cranberries,

raspberries, blackberries, they're all full of

vitamins and minerals, with each containing only a

small number of calories.

So as you can see, besides being pretty, those

colorful berries with their striking blues, reds and

blacks are so

good for

your health. Berries also contain flavonoids,

which may help prevent some forms of cancer.

Cranberries and blueberries have even been shown to

help prevent some bladder infections.

Top a bowl of delicious

berries with some cottage cheese or sprinkle

blueberries on a salad.

Have a little snacking fun. Top a bowl of delicious

berries with some cottage cheese or sprinkle

blueberries on a salad. Stir fresh strawberries into

a cup of creamy Greek yogurt. (Sounds yummy, doesn't

it?) Or add some of your favorite dried berries to a

bowl of hot oatmeal. Be creative and have fun with

those pretty, good-for-you, low-calorie berries!

I'll bet we all have a favorite variety of berries

we've fallen in love with. Well, as it turns out,

it's a two-way street because looks like those sweet

and tasty berries love our bodies...right

back!

Warmer weather is here again so tis' the

season, everybody, for those wonderful, colorful

good-for-your-body berries. So, have a little fun

this spring and summer by...getting

on the berry-go-round!

Love,