SpectralEat™
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SpectralEat™
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SUPERBERRIES Even with so many foods these days claiming to be 'superfoods', these berries stand head & shoulders above most! Many foods are these days billed - sometimes correctly, sometimes not quite so correctly - as 'superfoods', with wild claims about their beneficial impact on just about anything. But the berries described below really do deserve their super-status! And the really good new is, not only are they versatile and good for you in more ways than one, they also taste wonderful.
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Blueberries contain various antioxidants, in particular anthocyanidin, which is very good at fighting ageing and tissue breakdown. This, and other compounds contained in blueberries can help guard against cardiovascular and certain other major diseases. Like most other berries, blueberries also contain fibre and certain mildly laxative substances, which help the digestive system function well and stay healthy. Please note that while the cultivated blueberry commonly sold in supermarkets is still a valuable source of nutrients, antioxidants, etc., it is simply no competition to the other blueberry-related species, especially the bilberry (also commonly called blueberry or wild blueberry) found in the boreal forests of Northern Europe. Wild berries also have the added advantage of being organic(*) and sustainable by their very nature. (*) Wild berries cannot be certified as organic, as they grow wild rather than being farmed.
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Lingonberries or cowberries contain high levels of Vitamin C, beta carotene (provitamin A), Vitamins B1, B2 and B3, as well as various minerals such as potassium and magnesium. There are also phytochemicals present which can help fight urinary tract infections, as well as various antioxidants and flavonoids which can help reduce the risk of various cancers and cardiovascular diseases. The seeds, meanwhile, contain Omega 3 oil and tocotrienol (provitamin E), which is estimated to be up to fifty times more powerful an antioxidant than Vitamin E itself. Lingonberries grow wild in the boreal forests of Northern Europe, and are therefore by definition organic and sustainable. Their flavour is fuller and less acidic than that of cranberries, with a hint of sweetness.
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Blackcurrants are well known to contain very high levels of Vitamin C, which is obviously important to health and well-being in many ways, not least in maintaining the cardiovascular system. What is not so common knowledge is that blackcurrant seeds contain the rare but highly valuable gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), with strong anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties, as well as other Omega 3 and 6 oils. Most blackcurrants are farmed, although some exist in a semi-wild state. When buying blackcurrants it is important to ensure that they are grown in a pollution-free environment without the use of unnecessary pesticides and other chemicals, preferably according to organic standards.
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Cranberries contain antioxidants which are beneficial to the cardiovascular and immune systems, and may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. Cranberry juice is also an effective cure for urinary tract infections. Farmed and wild berries are more or less identical. Of course, wild berries have the added advantage of being organic and sustainable by their very nature, but their availability is limited and they therefore represent a small fraction of all cranberries sold.
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Last but by no means least, sea-buckthorn is the ultimate superhero, even amongst this collection of superberries! It has been known in various parts of the world for many centuries as an exceptional source of health-giving nutrition, thanks largely to its antioxidants and nutrients. Alone its Vitamin C level is ten times higher than that in oranges - and that's just the beginning: sea-buckthorn also contains seven other vitamins, as well as high levels of many other nutrients such as zinc and iron. As if that's not enough, there are also Omega 3, 6, 7 and 9 oils in substantial quantities! With such a mix of nutrients, sea-buckthorn can improve your health in a number of ways, anything from maintaining your cardiovascular and digestive systems to boosting your brain. The trouble is, sea-buckthorn tends to grow in rather inaccessible and inhospitable places such as on rocky cliff-sides and windswept islets. And once you find and reach the bush, your troubles have only just begun as the berries are well guarded by the masses of thorns covering the plant on all sides. No wonder, then, that the berries are quite literally worth their weight in gold, and even then supply cannot keep up with demand.
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