PURPLE FOOD
Berry berry good for you
Posted Mon, 24 Jul 2006

Mariah Carey swears by mauve-coloured foods these days. She believes that berries, known for their anti-ageing benefits, will stop her developing wrinkles.

And it is true that some berries contain ellagic acid, which reduces the damage done to your cells by things such as smoking and air pollution.

Apart from that, berries are packed with powerful anti-fungal and antiviral properties (which may have anti-inflammatory benefits), nutrients and antioxidants. These little fruits are the best-kept secret in overall health care, both delicious for cooking and drinking - or even snacking.

Cranberries

For many years cranberry juice has been a popular folk remedy for many ills. No wonder, since it’s a powerful source of Vitamin C. Cranberries help to maintain a healthy heart and reduce bladder infections. New research shows that it may even be an effective cure for kidney stones.

Studies done by Prof. Allan Rodgers at the University of Cape Town prove that cranberry juice alters three key urinary risk factors — it lowers the concentration of oxalate and phosphate, it increases the citrate concentration and it dilutes the concentration of calcium oxalate in the urine. These results were published in the British Journal of Urology.

The Cape Town results add to studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine. They found that cranberry juice had some anti-bacterial properties, which is important because it has recently been suggested that calcium-based stones may have an infectious origin. The results also state that some components occurring naturally in the berries may prevent the attachment of calcium oxalate crystals and stone-promoting bacteria to the epithelial cells in the renal tubes.

How many cranberries should you eat?

To combat urinary tract infections, 300 ml of cranberry juice can be drunk daily.

Blueberries

Blueberries have many health benefits, including the highest antioxidant ability of all fresh fruit. They are rich sources of fibre, and contain Vitamin B and C. What’s more, they’ve got flavonoids, which improve circulation and strengthen your anti-bodies in the fight against infections.

These little purple fruits also have effective anti-inflammatory, anti-blood clotting and antibacterial effects. In the past they were often used to combat diarrhoea and food poisoning. Plus, they help to prevent urinary tract infections.

At the recent American Chemical Society meeting it was reported that a compound found in blueberries called pterostilbene has "the potential to be developed into a nutraceutical for lowering cholesterol, particularly for those who do not respond well to conventional drugs," reports foodnavigator.com. Study authors from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) indicate that the compound found in Vaccinium berries could be a "potent weapon in the battle against obesity and heart disease through its cholesterol-reducing potential." Head researcher, Agnes M. Rimando and her associates "earlier showed that this compound may help fight cancer." An abstract of the study is found on the Agricultural Research Service website.

How much blueberries should you eat?

About thirty berries per day (65 g) are considered beneficial.

Berry powerful beverages:

Cosmopolitan

45ml vodka

45ml Crystal Falls Cranberry Juice, chilled

15ml fresh lime juice

Lemon twist, if desired

Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice and shake well.

Strain mixture into a chilled stemmed cocktail glass.

Garnish with lemon twist.

Makes 1 serving.

Cranberry Kiss

185ml Crystal Falls Cranberry Juice

30ml orange juice

Club soda to taste

Orange wedge (for garnish)

Pour cranberry juice cocktail and orange juice into a glass with ice.

Top with club soda.

Garnish with orange wedge.

Makes 1 serving.

Blueberry Daiquiri

1½ tablespoons lime juice

¼ cup frozen or fresh blueberries

¼ cup Crystal Falls Blueberry juice

45ml light rum

1 cup crushed ice

Into an electric blender place lime juice, blueberries and rum; blend until smooth.

Add ice and blend until slushy.

Garnish with blueberries skewered on picks circled with a strip of lime peel, if desired.

Makes one serving

Mixed Berry Smoothie

¾ cup Crystal Falls Blueberry juice

¾ cup frozen mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries)

2 cups low fat berry-flavoured yoghurt

½ banana, cut into slices

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

Blend for a few seconds on high speed or until ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

Pour into a large glass.

Makes approximately 2 servings.

Blueberry Smoothie

1 cup blueberries

½ cup of pineapple, orange and strawberry juice blend

½ cup low-fat vanilla yoghurt

1 teaspoon sugar

Blend for a minute in an electric blender until smooth.

Serve immediately in a tall glass garnished with blueberry skewers spiralled with a thin trip of orange peel.

Makes one serving

Blueberry-Pineapple smoothie

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup plain yoghurt

1 cup Pineapple juice

2 tablespoons honey

Blend all the ingredients together with 2 cups of ice.

Makes approximately two to four servings

Source: Nutrition for Life by Lisa hark PhD RD & Dr Darwin Deen

Crystal Falls’ two 100% fruit juice blends, Blueberry Juice and Cranberry Juice are packed with the disease-fighting nutrients of these powerful berries. For more information visit www.crystalfalls.co.za