Posted by Beth Sumrell-Ehrensberger on Mon, Jun 22, 2009
When the ice cream truck starts making the rounds in my neighborhood, I know summer has finally arrived. But it's not ice cream I anticipate as the weather warms up—it's the fresh summer berries. Last weekend, my husband, son and I drove out to the local strawberry patch to pick some of the best berries I've ever eaten. If you've never tasted a sweet sun-warmed berry right from the vine, you have to to get in on the action; check your local paper or the Internet to find a berry farm near you. Depending on where you live, strawberry season may be over, but don't
despair: There are blueberries, blackberries and raspberries (just to name a few) that will be ready for harvest as summer progresses.
Besides being the perfect way to satisfy a sweet tooth (guilt-free), berries are packed with nutrition. Typically, the peel or skin of fruits and vegetables is where you'll find loads of fiber and concentrated antioxidants—
and because berries have a high skin-to-fruit ratio, they give your diet a power punch. A cup of raspberries has eight grams of satisfying fiber, which is around a quarter of the daily recommendation for most people. Blueberries are near the top of the list in terms of antioxidant content, and believe it or not, a serving of strawberries has more vitamin C than an orange!If you can't find a pick-your-own farm to harvest your own berries this summer, look for them in your local farmers market and enjoy the taste of summer while it lasts.