Blackberries taste like summer vacation. The rich tasting black fruit brings back memories of quiet country roads and lazy summer days. Blackberries not only perk up your taste buds with the sweet taste of summer but they will help keep you on the road to a healthy and green lifestyle. That my friends is why blackberries should be part of your diet.
Blackberries are delicious eating plain as a snack, are refreshing in a smoothie, or in a bowl with a little raw milk or organic cane sugar on them. Blackberries are great in fresh fruit salad or as a topping for ice cream or shortcake. They make superb preserves and baked goods. You can freeze them or can them to enjoy on a cold winter’s day.
Blackberries can be grown in almost any area of the country. They thrive in the far south as well as in the wintry blasts of the Northern states. They grow wild or can be planted. They have perennial roots and biennial canes.
I have many childhood memories of picking wild blackberries and we always came back to the house with black lips and tongues. We couldn’t resist the sweet flavor of those luscious fresh blackberries. My sister still lives near my childhood home and just last week picked about a gallon of wild blackberries.
Health Benefits of Blackberries:
- Blackberries are loaded with minerals, particularly potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, and calcium.
- Blackberries dark blue glossy color ensures that they are one of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits. Antioxidants, that are powerful phytonutrients that’s shown to protect the brain against oxidative stress and may reduce age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. They lower the risk of a number of cancers including those in the GI tract, when consumed in their natural state.
- Blackberries are high in vitamin C, vitamin K, and folic acid.
- The seeds of blackberries hold the key to important nutrients like omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, as well as carotenoids, ellagitannins and ellagic acid.
- Blackberries are loading with dietary fiber – one cup has 7.6 grams of dietary fiber, and 2 grams of protein.
- One cup of blackberries had only 62 calories which certainly is great if you are watching your waistline.
- They also only contain 13.8 grams of carbs.
Blackberry plants and their medicinal properties:
- The berries themselves contain high levels of salicylic acid, which gives them similar properties to aspirin, such as pain relief and fever relief.
- The leaves can be chewed to help canker sores or made into a tea that contains vitamin C that can help strengthens the immune system to repair tissue.
- Blackberry juice is a soothing treatment for hemorrhoids.
- Blackberry tea has many therapeutic benefits useful for alleviating skin rashes, mouth or throat inflammations, diarrhea, and can help decrease heavy menstrual flow.
Using Fresh Blackberries
Gently wash your blackberries in cool water and put them in a colander to drain. Use them immediately after washing them for the best texture.
Blackberry Cobbler to Die For
Ingredients
- 4 cups of fresh organic or wild blackberries (or thawed previously frozen blackberries)
- 1 cup of raw organic coconut sugar, a little extra to sprinkle on top
- 1/2 cup of raw organic cold pressed coconut oil
- 1 cup of organic unbromated, unbleached flour (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill)
- 2 tsp of baking powder (Aluminum-free)
- Dash of Himalayan salt
- 1 cup of raw or organic milk
- 1 tsp of organic vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp of nutmeg
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
2. Melt coconut oil in the bottom of your cast iron frying pan.
3. Top berries with sugar, then mash them with a potato masher.
4. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.
5. Stir in the milk and vanilla.
6. Pour this mixture into the melted butter in your frying pan and then stir well to combine.
7. Top the cobbler dough with berries, juice, and sugar mixture.
8. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the dough comes out clean. Let cool and you can enjoy that delicious flavor.
You can add blackberries to muffins, pancakes, waffles, or put them in your favorite cereal. There are so many ways you can enjoy these tasty tempting little berries. Why not try adding some fresh blackberries to iced tea or lemonade for a refreshing summer drink. Try smashing them gently with a fork to release more blackberry flavor into the drink. There are so many ways that blackberries can add a wealth of health to your diet.
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