All About Summer Berries

A bowlful of delicious organic berries. Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries.

2 min

Any way you buy them – fresh, frozen or dried – berries are a super food, and one of my favorites! Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries are sweet, easy to pop into your mouth as a snack and a much healthier choice than a candy bar. All are anti-inflammatory, a good source of fiber, rich in flavonoids and carotenoids, and offer immune-boosting antioxidant activity. Because commercial strains of berries may be heavily sprayed with pesticides, I recommend buying only organic varieties of the berries listed here. And for an applicable use of berries, try our delicious Blueberry Pie recipe!

See Dr. Weil discussing his berry garden in British Columbia.

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Blueberries are packed with nutritional power: a half cup of blueberries provides the antioxidant power of five servings of peas, carrots, apples, squash or broccoli; they are a healthy, low glycemic-index carbohydrate, an especially good choice for diabetics; have about two grams of fiber per one-half cup serving; and may have health benefits ranging from preventing cancer and defending against urinary tract infections to protecting the brain from stroke damage and reducing heart disease risks.
One of my favorite fruits is the raspberry. Known as an aggregate fruit, meaning that smaller sections with seeds and fruit create a larger whole, raspberries have significant nutritional value - they are a good source of vitamin C, folate, vitamins B2 and B3, magnesium and other essential nutrients; they contain ellagitannins, natural health-protective compounds that appear to have potent anti-cancer activity; have 50% more antioxidant potential than strawberries; and place in the top 15 of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition's best antioxidant sources.
Blackberries are another good berry to eat: research published in the July, 2006, issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition ranked blackberries as far and away the most antioxidant-rich food (on the basis of a typical single serving) out of 1,113 types tested. They are also lower on the glycemic index than tropical fruits, making them a good choice for diabetics.
An excellent source of vitamin C and fiber, strawberries are full of antioxidants that can help promote heart health, and protect against cancer and inflammatory diseases (they are listed as one of the top 20 antioxidant sources by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry). Strawberries can be used in everything from baked goods and smoothies to toppings for salads and cereals, and are sweet enough to be eaten on their own.