Foods That Are 'berry' Good For June

Summer berries, like the ruby red strawberry and cool blueberry, arrive just in time for hot June temperatures. Feel free to consume these berries by the handful, as they reduce internal heat, soothe inflamed tissues, and cool your blood. Blueberries are especially cooling - after a handful of these beautiful blue gems, you may feel like you're sitting under the shade of a tree or wading into a cool stream. Blue, red, and purple berries are often sour, slightly sweet, high in beta-carotene, vitamin C and other blood purifying nutrients. Strawberries and most summer berries are also chock-full of antioxidants.

Antioxidants & Berries

Most of us have heard about antioxidants, and we're told that we need them. Antioxidants neutralize harmful molecules called free radicals which can damage tissues in the body and lead to disease. Well, strawberries and most summer berries are chock-full of antioxidants and can prevent this kind of cellular damage. Strawberries also contain anti-carcinogens, a natural food chemical that reduces the occurrence of cancers. Like many members of the rose family, strawberries contain an enzyme called malic acid, known to gently cleanse and restore the liver.

Love your Liver

Too much fun sipping summer cocktails over the weekend? Berries, and especially strawberries and blueberries, can help detox your liver and reduce a lingering hangover. Our liver is naturally more stressed out in the summertime, due to the increase in external temperature and therefore internal heat. Fortunately, the cooling qualities of berries can help. Their slightly sweet and slightly sour taste offer an ideal liver restorative, alterative and blood coolant. You'll notice the relaxing effect on the eyes, and better focus.

Blueberries (and berries in general) also protect the liver. A diet rich in berries reduces liver enzymes by as much as 23 percent (Source: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010). High liver enzymes are a sign of liver cell injury. Regular consumption of blueberries in particular also led to a reduction in liver size, indicating improved liver function (University of Michigan). Blueberries also reduce levels of inflammation in blood. Blue, red & purple berries are high in beta-carotene, which stimulates your liver.

Berry Gentle on the GI

Berries are easy to digest. This means that it does not take very much energy for our body to process them and turn them into fuel. In the summertime, when your digestive fire is naturally low due to heat, berries become a digestible choice for many on a hot day when your appetite is absent. For those with digestive disorders, berries can often provide a rich source of nutrients with not too much effort on your GI tract and without irritating tissues.

The sourness of berries also indicate their GI benefits. Their sour taste means that that berries stimulate the appetite and moisten the entire gastrointestinal tract from mouth to final elimination. Next time you pucker while eating a handful of berries, notice how these invigorating little fruits strengthens your entire digestive system, even helping to dislodge stagnant and undigested food as it reduces feelings of heaviness. Strawberries in particular can also help soothe an irritated, inflamed stomach.