Eat health and goodness

Every time you eat fresh, locally produced fruit, you are digesting some of the sun's life-giving energy in the form of vitamins and minerals. British summer fruits, in particular, are positively bursting with the sun's energy because they ripen slowly. So, everytime you eat British berries you are quite literally "tasting the sun" and giving you and your family a food packed with energy, health and goodness!

WHY BERRIES ARE GOOD FOR US

The less our fruit has travelled, the more nutrient-rich it will be. British berries are delivered straight from the field to the supermarket shelf within hours, so the vitamin content is still very high.

• Fruit is known as a ‘life-bearing' food because it carries the seeds for the next generation within it, so is packed full of nutrients in order to survive.
• Strawberries are unique because they are the only fruit to carry their seeds on the OUTSIDE of the fruit, so imagine how nutrient-rich they are! Strawberries contain more vitamin C, pound for pound, than oranges, so stock up in the summer to avoid colds and flu in the winter.
• Fruit is 70%-90% water, so for those who cannot manage to drink enough water each day, fruit is a good alternative.

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  Fruit has a high sugar content: natural, healthy sugar that gives you energy without the "blood sugar blues" or any health risks.
• Summer fruits are rich in antioxidants - vitamins A, C, and E - which help fight damaging free radicals, produced as a reaction to pollution, toxins and stress, that attack healthy cells causing disease and ageing. Anti-oxidants have recently been hailed as cancer-fighting compounds.
• Summer fruits are also an excellent source of minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, sod ium, potassium, iron and some B vitamins - all essential for healthy cells and blood.
• Yellow, orange and red fruits, especially cherries, are rich in beta-carotene - vitamin A - another anti-oxidant that will help protect the immune system and strengthen our eyes, gums, skin and hair.
• Many of the berries contain ellagic acid, which binds with our DNA to help protect it from disease.
• Cherries, black currants, and blackberries are good sources of bioflavonoids - Vitamin P - which help the body absorb vitamin C and which is essential for healthy skin, capillaries, tissues and cartilage.
• Fruit is low in fat and high in fibre, which is very helpful for a healthy weight loss programme. 100g of strawberries (about 10) is just 27 calories!

SUGGESTIONS FOR ENCOURAGING YOUR KIDS TO EAT MORE BERRIES

• Help your youngsters to eat more fruit AND learn to read at the same time by spelling out their favourite words on a big white plate using strawberries or raspberries.
• You might also like to fill an ice tray with real fruit juice and make homemade lollies full of natural goodness!
• Suzi Grant is a Nutritional Therapist (BANT) and Author. www.suzigrant.com