#10 HEALTHIEST FRUITS - BLACKBERRIES

Continuing the posts on the fifteen healthiest fruits we have reached number 10, blackberries. Blackberries are delicious in pies and cobblers, but they are also delicious by themselves, topping ice cream, puddings, etc. However you choose to use them, blackberries are an important part of our diets. Following is a quote from the health journal article.

"Sweet, juicy blackberries have some of the highest levels of antioxidants of any fruit. When they're not busy lowering inflammation in the body and protecting against cellular damage, they help lessen heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure and blood lipid levels. A 2021 review of studies on anthocyanins and the foods that contain them, such as blackberries, found that a high intake of flavonoids was linked to a steeply reduced risk for total heart disease incidence and a lower risks of total heart disease-related death.

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COMBINE CITRUS WITH FOODS FOR MORE HEALTH BENEFIT

We can actually improve the benefits we get from certain foods by what we combine them with.  Here are some examples of what you can do to not only improve taste but health benefits by combining citrus with other foods.  Citrus is today's example, but it is not the only food that can be added to make healthy tasty combinations.

• Take some plain light vanilla yogurt and add some finely shredded lime peel or cara cara oranges to add lycopene to the yogurt.  You are not only adding flavor to the yogurt, you are getting some lycopene-rich food in the process.  Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant.
• Blood oranges are anthocyanin-rich fruits.  Add some segments to salsas and chutneys to not only improve flavor but for the anthocyanin benefits.  Anthocyanins have powerful antioxidant properties.
• Add tangerine segments to spinach salads.  This vitamin-C rich citrus will help your body absorb the iron from the spinach.
• Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice onto fish, into sauces, and onto salads.  This will add a fresh zesty taste while giving you a vitamin boost.

BLACK RICE

Would you believe black rice has the same antioxidant as blueberries? This grain has anthocyanin, which is the antioxidant responsible for the inky blue color of blueberries. This information is from a study done a few years ago at Louisiana State University. For all you no carb people, remember carbs do have benefits.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia