Antioxidants protect our cells from oxidative damage and inflammation, and they have been linked to heart and brain health, supporting a healthy immune system and protection against certain cancers.

It’s easy to add in berries to healthy foods you already enjoy. Here’s a few ideas for bumping up your berry intake this month.

•    Toss colorful berries into your leafy green salads or get creative and make a simple vinaigrette dressing with puréed berries to add visual distinction and extra antioxidant power to your meal.

•    Berries make great smoothie ingredients. Take advantage of the natural sugars in berries. Blend with low-fat yogurt and a banana for a creamy pick-me-up that rivals a milkshake in taste.

•    On the go? Grab a container of tasty blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or blackberries for your next hike, picnic or errand-running afternoon.

Strawberries

Juicy Health Benefits:

• Protect against Alzheimer’s
• Reduce “bad” cholesterol
• Suppress growth of colon, prostate and oral cancer

A one-cup serving of strawberries provides:

• 45 Calories with 1g Protein and no Fat
• 93% of your day’s supply of Vitamin C
• 16% of your day’s supply of Fiber
• 20% of your day’s supply of Folic Acid

For a heart-healthy dessert, drizzle a tablespoon of high quality balsamic vinegar over a cup of sliced trawberries. Then, top with chopped walnuts for added heart-beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.

Raspberries

Juicy Health Benefits:

• Inhibit growth of oral, breast, colon and prostate cancers
• Antioxidant DNA defense
• Lower “bad” cholesterol levels

Simply enjoy them in your morning yogurt or oatmeal, lunchtime salad or healthy dessert (fat-free Greek yogurt or 1/2 cup frozen vanilla yogurt).

A one-cup serving of raspberries provides:

• 60 Calories with 1g Protein and only 1g Fat
• 50% of your day’s supply of Vitamin C
• 32% of your day’s supply of Fiber
• 2,789 ORAC Value (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity – basically antioxidant power)

Blackberries

Juicy Health Benefits: Blackberries contain a high amount of tannin – a nutrient that studies have shown to tighten tissue, alleviate diarrhea and intestinal inflammation, and even treat sore throats and mouth irritations.

A one-cup serving of blackberries provides:

• 60 Calories with 2g Protein and only 1g Fat
• 50% of your day’s supply of Vitamin C
• 32% of your day’s supply of Fiber
• 9% of your day’s supply of Folic Acid
• 6% of your day’s supply of Iron
• 4,654 ORAC Value

What are your favorite berries and how do you like to eat them?

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Sweeten Up Your Day With the Health Benefits of Berries

Other lesser known brain foods include brightly colored produce high in antioxidants, including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, prunes, and my favorite blueberries. Whole grains and whole grain products such as bread, rice, and pasta contain B vitamins and magnesium which assist normal brain and nerve functioning.

Feeding your brain can increase your mental energy. Mental capacity is what we use to organize our lives. When your mental energy is low, you’re likely to become more forgetful, distracted, and have difficulty thinking and completing tasks. Maximum mental energy is derived from oscillation; changing channels mentally permits different parts of the brain to be activated while others rest and can facilitate creativity. This sounds like great news for multi-taskers, but I am still skeptical about how productive multi-tasking really is. It is important that we stimulate different areas of our brains, learn new things, challenge ourselves, and expand our horizons.

How we function in each area of our lives can have a big impact on how we function in the others. To live to your full potential, you want to develop the greatest energy capacity possible in each key life area. When you are thinking more clearly, you can feel more confident and find life more enjoyable. When you have more mental energy, you are less likely to become exhausted by that long meeting which then tempts you to grab something from the snack machine. When you are thinking more clearly, you will find that you have more time for the things that give your life meaning.

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Healthy Brains Come From Healthy Food

The difference with [me] & goji is that they offer a customizable buffet of ingredients for their customers. The company collects healthy foods from around the world, and then they leave it to you to fuse them in combinations that satisfy your tastes and nutritional needs. Then they deliver your custom concoction to your doorstep.

Ingredients that can be mixed into your cereal in any combination include: goji berry, Maine wild blueberry, hunza raisin, goldenberry, and rasberry. Goji berries, also known as wolfberries, have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. They are touted for their nutrient density and antioxidant properties. Goldenberries bring bioflavonoids to the table, known for their anti-inflammatory, anti-microbia, and even anti-cancer activity. No matter which ingredients you choose, there will be a powerful nutritional punch to your breakfast.

Here comes the best part – you get all the vitamins, minerals, fiber, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytonutrients for under $1 a bowl! Cheap, organic, and healthy, you can’t beat that.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Me & Goji Delivers Custom Healthy Cereal to Your Door