Easy Living :: Nutrition facts - Herbal nutrition guide

George Gershwin must have had this season’s fruit in mind when he wrote, “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.” There are few things more satisfying than venturing out on a summer’s day to pick raspberries right off the cane, still warm from the sun when they reach your mouth.

Those without gardens harvest summer berries at the u-pick. Head to a roadside stand, or visit the nearest farmers’ market. For tips on how to choose the best of the crop and how to keep it fresh and flavourful, check out the following information. Summer eating couldn’t be easier.

what to look for: Raspberries should be fragrant, plump, and covered with fine downy fuzz. Avoid berries that have been crushed, and check for mold. Eat as soon as possible!

how to store: Sources suggest that raspberries should not be washed because it damages the texture and flavour. Merely pick off any leaves or stems.

did you know: Raspberries are rich in vitamin C, potassium, niacin, riboflavin, and dietary fibre. They are the tastiest member of the rose family.

what to look for: Choose plump firm blueberries. The blue dusty coating is a natural protective layer.

how to store: Covered, in the fridge. To avoid mushiness, wash berries just before you eat them.

did you know: Blueberries store a lot of nutrients in a small blue package. They’re high in fibre, antioxidants, and potassium.

what to look for: Cherries should be shiny, dark, firm, plump, and still attached to their stems.

did you know: Cherries are a good source of vitamins A and C. They are rich in antioxidants and are thought to have anti-inflammatory properties.

what to look for: Choose fruit that is a rich yellow with a slight rosy blush. Flesh should be firm but not hard. Avoid peaches with a green tint–they won’t ripen.

how to store: Ripen on the kitchen counter by placing unripe peaches in a loosely closed paper bag. Check every day–they go from ripe to rotten very quickly. To refrigerate, place ripe peaches in a paper bag.

how long to store: When ripe, eat or use immediately. Ripe peaches will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Discard when flesh is mushy or bruised.

did you know: A good source of potassium, folate, and vitamin A. To peel, dip quickly in boiling water (10 to 30 seconds); then plunge into a bowl of ice water. Slip skins off using a paring knife or by hand.

how to store: Arrange unwashed berries in one layer, and place in the refrigerator. Wash immediately before eating. Buy only as many as you think you can eat right away.

availability: June, although everbearing strawberries can be harvested all summer. Strawberries are high in B vitamins, vitamin C, minerals, and antioxidants.

did you know: Since strawberries become waterlogged easily, use a damp paper towel and gently wipe off any dirt.

Fresh summer cherries, strawberries, and peaches are just a few of nature’s sweet treats.
To help nature keep the bugs away, many fruit producers use pesticides. Environmental Working Group (EWG) has published a report that lists the pesticide load of common fruits and vegetables.

Alas, peaches top the list of produce with the highest dusting, and many of our beloved berries are included in their “Dirty Dozen.” The best way to avoid unhealthy chemicals is to choose organic produce whenever possible. To check out A Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, go to ewg.org.

Josie Padro is usually good at sharingâ€”except when it comes to raspberries.

Berries
Sshhh! Don't tell your kids that berries are more than just a tasty snack: they also contain bioflavonoids, a family of water-soluble nutrients found in many fruits and vegetables. This group of pigments is what adds color to the skins, stems and leaves of nature's plants.

Sweet Summer Sensations
Berries are Nature's Surprise-pack of NutritionAmong the delights of June is the advent of fresh berries, wild and cultivated. Canada boasts a huge array.

Sweet and Succulent Berries Make a Summer Meal
Tiny wild strawberries have been hybridized and cultivated, but still grow in wooded areas in some parts of the country. They're the most aromatic and contain essential vitamins.

Smooth Out Your Life
So simple yet so delicious and good for you! Shakes and smoothies can be used as a breakfast substitute, meal replacement or as a refreshing "pick-me-up" any time of day.

Edible Summer Beauty
Who can resist the rainbow array of summer fruits at the market? Rich pink watermelon and raspberries, shiny bright oranges, polished yellow lemons, plump green grapes and sapphire blueberries--in this time of artificially taste-enhanced foods, it .

Beyond the Fruit Bowl
Who can resist the rainbow array of summer fruits at the market? Rich pink watermelon and raspberries, shiny bright oranges, polished yellow lemons

Soothe Inflammation
Inflammation is associated with a wide range of chronic and acute diseases.

The Fountain of Youth
The fountain of youth is at our fingertips. Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, little free-radical scavengers that just may be our fountain of youth. Antioxidants exert many positive effects on the body.

Drink to Your Health
Already enjoying the great tastes and healthy benefits of heart-healthy grape and bladder-brilliant cranberry juices? Now some equally colourful cousins are available.

Shopping List for a Healthy Heart

Alkalinity
Your brain and body are extremely sensitive to the slightest change in the pH level of your body's vital fluids. A pH of less than seven is considered acidic, and more than seven is considered alkaline.

The Colour of Cherries
While carrot juice is still a favourite among health-conscious consumers, tart red cherry juice concentrate is gaining popularity as studies of its healing and preventive properties spread.

Ambrosia of the Amazon
AÃ§ai (Euterpe oleracea) was as deep purple as any food I had ever seen. In fact, a spill stained a favourite t-shirt of mine forever. I loved the rich flavour of aÃ§ai and the energy it imparted, and I consumed as much as I could during the course of my time on the river.

Cranberries
Cranberry is an absolute powerhouse of nutrition wrapped in a small red package, and that it contains more antioxidants per gram than any other fruit. They contain natural compounds called proanthocyanidins (PACs) that helps in not only keeping the flu virus from sticking around but also helps prevent (or clear up) urinary tract infections.

Lose the Bulge-Not the Carbs
The majority of research in nutrition clearly demonstrates that carbohydrate-rich foods reduce the risk of most chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

How much do Canadians eat?

Eat small, frequent meals

When to eat the peel

Tired? Headaches? Hydrate Yourself

Fear Not the Pomegranate
This tempting jewel of the fruit stand calls to you, its rotund sphere ranging from a bluish pink to a décor-inspiring crimson red. You circle the fruit aisle one last time, wondering if today's the day you'll rupture its tough exterior and take advantage of its superior antioxidant qualities.

The Green Whale of Summer
Is there a more sensuous food on a hot summer's day than a big, ripe watermelon? What would a picnic be without the laughter of children as they spit the seeds from juicy slices?

Bountiful Berries
Despite their diminutive size, berries are giants in terms of the positive impact they have on our health.

Potent Pomegranates
In ancient cultures, pomegranates were symbols of life, regeneration, health, and vitality. In Babylon and Persia, soldiers chewed pomegranate seeds before battle, believing that the exotic fruits would reward them with superior skills and invincibility. The Egyptians placed pomegranates in King Tut's tomb, to help him in his afterlife.

Breakfast Rules!
Current research suggests breakfast, more than any other meal, is an investment in good health. Unfortunately, it's an investment not enough of us are making on a regular basis.

Squeeze some sunshine
Have you ever wondered why an apple turns brown after you cut it in half? But cut any citrus fruit in half and it remains virtually unchanged. The difference is the high level of ascorbic acid and other antioxidants in the citrus; they protect it from oxidation-like natural rustproofing.

Amazing Acai
For thousands of years the people of Brazil have known about the many beneficial secrets of the small purple acai (pronounced ah-saw-ee) berry. This amazing berry grows in the Eastern Amazon region and in Northern Brazil. To the people of South America, acai has been a mainstay for centuries.

Tropical Giants
You don’t have to trek through the Amazon rainforest to sample tropical superfruits. These power-packed giants, now available locally in many different forms, offer high levels of natural enzymes, vitamins, and antioxidant compounds.

Grapefruit’s Bittersweet Reality
The grapefruit is more than just a superfood. But despite all of the known benefits of grapefruit, there are still some looming cautions.

Guess what’s coming to dinner?
Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is a rich source of antioxidants, natural sugars, fatty acids, vitamin A, E, and B₂, and minerals such as potassium and iron. It’s especially high in vitamin C.