Berries, Berries Everywhere!

If there’s one food you should definitely be eating right now, it’s berries. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries are all plentiful this time of year and are the perfect fruit to add to your diet for many reasons:

They’re loaded with fiber - The insoluble fiber in strawberries and blueberries actually slows down digestion, keeping you feeling full longer, which can help with weight loss and keeping your blood sugar levels steady.

They’re low in calories - A full cup of berries has less than 100 calories so you can eat them to your heart’s content (within reason, of course!).

They’re a rich source of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, K, folate and manganese and it’s much more fun getting your nutrients from something that tastes great!

They’re high in antioxidants - Blueberries in particular are ranked among one of the top antioxidant containing foods from phenols and the anthocyanins that give their skins the blue/red color. Studies have shown that the antioxidant power in blueberries have a positive impact on memory and that the levels of antioxidants are even higher in organic versus conventionally grown berries.

They have a low glycemic load - As mentioned above, helping to slow digestion is a benefit of eating berries. Blueberries, raspberries and blueberries all have a glycemic load of 5–anything with a value under 10 is considered low–meaning that they are beneficial for keeping your blood sugar steady.

They’re versatile - They can be added to fruit or vegetable salads, smoothies, deserts, drinks, sauces, salsas, jams and preserves, and eaten plain. There’s no end to what you can do with berries.

Here’s a recipe for raspberry scones that I made with fresh-picked raspberries last year!

Keeping it Simple

I’m big on simplifying things and I’ve written before about ways to do that, with personal care products, for example. This can also apply to food and our diets and is a particularly good idea if we want to maintain healthy eating habits in the midst of overwhelming schedules.

So how do we do this? Well, we plan and cook ahead. Here’s one example. Last week, I made a large batch of plain quinoa that I kept in the fridge. And then it became the focus of several very simple meals.

For lunch one day, I mixed it with avocado, organic strawberries, fresh-squeezed lemon juice and olive oil. And that was lunch. It was simple and delicious. I also mixed it with warm nut milk, nuts, seeds, and cinnamon for a hearty breakfast. Then I combined it with leftover butternut squash, chopped kale, bit of vegetable broth and some seasonings for a warm dish.

Keep a few healthy staples on hand and ready to eat and you’ll never have an excuse to eat poorly. It’s also better for the digestion and less likely that you’ll over eat when you keep your meals simple. Ever eaten a dozen different dishes from a buffet and felt awful afterwards? I’ve been there and the aftermath is no fun.

What are some of your favorite simple meals? Share them here!