When I shop for berries, I usually go for the popular varieties: strawberries, blueberries, and sometimes raspberries. The other day while making my rounds for fruit, there was a special on blackberries and I decided to give them a try. To my delight not only were they great in my smoothie, I discovered that they offer an awesome amount of nutrition.
Most notably blackberries, which are not true “berries” but are actually an aggregate fruit – a cluster of tiny fruits, are packed with Vitamin C. Just one cup contains somewhere in the neighborhood of half of the daily recommended value of Vitamin C, which can help to boost the immune system. In addition these “berries” have a nice amount of manganese, soluble fiber to assist in maintaining a healthy digestive system, and are extremely high in antioxidants which fight free radicals that could lead to cancer. Apparently in Germany, blackberries were recommended to treat mouth infections, sore throats, and even hemorrhoids because they are an astringent due to their high tannin content. These antiseptic properties also make blackberries a good source to tighten tissues and deal with minor bleeding. Some even go as far to claim that a dose of blackberries every now and then may decrease signs of aging, but then again we know raw food in general will do that! Below is a recipe for the concoction I created with my new batch of blackberries, Raw Blackberry Yogurt that can be eaten for breakfast or dessert. Feel free to try them raw, throw them in a smoothie, or sample my yummy yogurt concoction. – XoXo Raw Girl
Raw Blackberry Yogurt
Ingredients
1 small container of blackberries, 1/2 cup of fresh coconut water, 2 ripe bananas, 2-3 dates, 1/2-3/4 cup shredded coconut
Blend all ingredients together and add more coconut water if necessary, but take care to not add too much. It should blend into a creamy consistency. Pour in bowl and sprinkle coconut on top. Yum!