Berries.. Simple, Healthy, Tasty !
Berries.. Simple, Healthy, Tasty ! OffGrid and sustainable Food Production
Summer time means berry time. With a diverse range of aromatic berries, which taste just as good on their own as in juice or compote, on cakes or in desserts. In addition, the healthy and delicious berries provide numerous valuable ingredients. Because berries not only taste good, they also offer a high content of vitamins and minerals as well as plenty of dietary fiber , which promote intestinal activity and thus digestion. At the same time, berries have a variety of secondary plant substances that have antiviral, antioxidant , anti-inflammatory and blood pressure-regulating effects. Read here how healthy berries are and what effect the different varieties have.
Ingredients and healthy effects of berries
Berries are very low in calories, but due to their high fiber content, they quickly fill you up. The following table shows which vitamins, minerals and other ingredients are in the various berries for different types of berries. You can also find out more about the healthy effects of the berries in the list:
| berry | Healthy ingredients | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| strawberry | Vitamin C, flavonoids, salicylic acid, tannins,calcium,potassium, iron, folate | against diarrhea, stimulates the metabolism, against rheumatism and gout |
| raspberry | Vitamin C, Vitamin A , Rutin, Biotin, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Ellagic Acid | antipyretic, blood-cleansing, bone-building, support for gastrointestinal catarrhs, promotes digestion |
| gooseberry | Vitamin C, Silicon, Citric Acid, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Pectin | digestive, draining, strengthening for hair and nails |
| currant | Vitamin C, Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Phosphorus, Citric Acid, Pectin | against rheumatism and gout, detoxifying, antibacterial, strengthens the immune system, diuretic |
| blueberry | Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Beta Carotene, Iron, Potassium, Sodium, Citric Acid, Pectin, Quercetin, Anthocyanins | anti-inflammatory, blood-forming, against diarrhea, stomach pain and bladder weakness, lowers blood pressure |
| cranberry | Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Beta Carotene, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Arbutin, Flavonoids, Pectin | digestive, cholesterol-lowering, against diarrhea, urinary tract infections, gout and rheumatism, antiviral, bactericidal and fungicidal active ingredients |
| blackberry | Iron, Calcium, Ellagic Acid, Vitamin A, Magnesium | detoxifying, anti-cancer, antihypertensive, good for skin and mucous membranes |
| elderberry | Anthocyanins, flavonoids, essential oils, tannins | Protective effect against diseases of the cardiovascular system, joints, eyes, skin and kidneys, tonic for feverish diseases, against rheumatism and gout |
| rose hip | vitamin C, pectin | Antioxidant, immune-enhancing, digestive, anti-inflammatory |
| rowan | Vitamin C, vitamin A, pectins, tannins, sorbitol | Beneficial for the stomach and intestines, antioxidant, digestive, anti-inflammatory |
| sea buckthorn | Quercetin, many times richer in vitamin C than citrus fruits | Fortification of various products with vitamin C, pharmaceutical use in skin damage caused by burns and sunburn |
Which berries are in season and when?
The following table shows the harvest times of various regional berries:
| berry | harvest time |
|---|---|
| strawberry | May to July |
| raspberry | May to August |
| gooseberry | July to August |
| currant | May to July |
| blueberry | June to August |
| cranberry | September |
| blackberry | May to July |
| elderberry | August |
| rose hip | September to October |
| rowan | August to October |
| sea buckthorn | from September |
Since the berries are very sensitive, gentle and rapid processing is important.
- Look out for plump fruits and dry, shiny skins, as the berries are very sensitive to pressure and quickly become moldy after injury. Some berries, such as ripe blueberries, have a whitish veil that serves as protection and is a sign of freshness.
- To clean, briefly dip the fruit in standing water and immediately drain on paper towels so they don’t soak up the water and become mushy or lose their flavor. The leaves and stems are best removed just before consumption.
- Store berries in a cool, dark place, for example in the cellar or in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. The fresh berries will keep in the fridge for a day or two.
- Freeze berries properly In addition to their diverse uses, for example for juice, compote, muffins, fruit ice cream, berry crumble or as a cake topping, the berries can also be frozen well. At the same time, valuable vitamins are retained, so frozen berries are still healthy. However, due to their high water content, they often become mushy and stick together after thawing. This can be avoided if they are first frozen on the outside in individual layers (side by side on a board, in a flat dish or spread out on foil) and only then put together in a bag and frozen properly. And even if the berries aren’t as crunchy after thawing as they were after they were harvested: the delicious little fruits are always suitable for certain types of preparation such as fruit puree, jelly, jam, smoothies or milkshakes.