Sure, it’d be nice if you had the time to spend on creating a nice, elaborate lunch every day. But in the real world, that’s often not the case and many of us (myself included) default to a smoothie on the go, whether that’s between meetings, post workout or on the way to a kids’ school event. I bet that if you’re a smoothie devotee, you have one or two go-to recipes that you stick to like Jim Halpert and his tuna sandwich. Here are three berries you can start adding to (awful pun alert) shake things up:
Photo: Nami-Nami
Aronia Berries
Though they’re also known as chokeberries, this under-the-radar fruit won’t make you gag. It’s also chock-full of phytonutrients, including cell-protecting proanthocyanins like those found in red wine and anthocyanins similar to those that give blueberries their superpowers. A study conducted by the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Maryland found that Aronia berries helped reduce the incidence of colon cancer. These potent purple berries also have anti-viral properties that can help them kick colds to the curb.
Golden “Inca” Berries
The name of the Inca implies roots in Peru, but while this berry is found in South America, it’s also native to Hawaii, China, South Africa and Australia. They’re packed with vision-protecting Vitamin A, are a good source of sleep-regulating melatonin and can help mitigate the symptoms of asthma thanks to anti-inflammatory properties. Golden berries have also been shown to enhance kidney function and are a good source of vitamins B1, B2 and B3, which, among other things, help regulate metabolic function and energy production.
Maqui Berry
A product of southern Chile, the Maqui is well known in Central and South America for its healing properties but largely unknown in the US. That should change, as this little purple fruit packs a big micro-nutrient punch. Dr. Juan Hancke has found that the Maqui contains delphinidins, a rare kind of anthocyanins that help the body fight off a broad range of inflammation-related conditions. They also reduce the oxidation of bad LDL cholesterol, helping to protect the cardiovascular system. Maqui berries also contain antimicrobial substances that can aid your body in killing off harmful kinds of gut bacteria.
