Bring on berries, and do your body good
Here’s one food we never feel guilty about bringing on, and neither should you: berries. There’s a reason they’re called superfoods. The vitamins, minerals, fibre and protective plant nutrients that are jam-packed into sweet, juicy, red, black, or blueberries do your body more good than a dynamite marching band does for a parade. And calories? so few you don’t even have to count them. If you can’t buy your favorite berries yet ( wash’em well ), dont hesitate to fill in with frozen ( wash them too, if you like, eventhough there’s less need). Frozen berries give you as many nutrients as fresh.
- Guard your memory. Berries owe their rich hues to anthocyanins, plant nutrients that turn out to be potent disease fighters: They stimulate your cells to scarf up free radicals and prevent the kind of DNA damage that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and aging.
- Bring down your blood pressure. Eating just four ounces of mixed berries a day for eight weeks brings high blood preesure down seven points.
- Heal your Heart. Strawberries help lower lousy LDL cholesterol. Blueberries and lingonberries ooze resveratrol, the goodie in red wine that helps prevent clogged arteries. A bevy of berries boost healthy HDL cholesterol, and may fight inflammation, too.
- Send cancer packing. researchers have found that snacking on freeze-dried black raspberries increases an enzyme that detoxifies carcinogens in 37 percent of people at risk for esophageal cancers. More reason to binge on freshly washed berries.
source: THE YOU DOCS/ LIVING/ TORONTO STAR
