They are the quintessence of summer, and the richness of their flavors and colors means that everyone will find their favorite fruit. Waiting for the first strawberries is often a childhood memory associated with the beginning of the holidays. Summer trips to the forest bring the smell and taste of wild strawberries and blueberries. The holiday months are full of raspberries, blackberries, currants and gooseberries. Autumn is the time of chokeberries and cranberries.

Berries have been part of the human diet since prehistoric times. Our ancestors collected wild berries, taking advantage of their availability and nutritional value. In ancient civilizations, berries were valued for their medicinal and culinary properties. Medieval monks and nuns grew them in monastery gardens, and the fruits were used in cooking and medicine. With the development of agriculture and plant breeding, new varieties and processing methods have appeared, making them available all year round.

This group of fruits is valued not only for their taste, but above all for their health properties. They contain a lot of valuable vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and polyphenols, which are particularly important in the context of cancer prevention. They are low-calorie and contain small amounts of sugar.

They should be a permanent, mandatory element in an anti-cancer diet. The anticancer effect of berries is related to the high content of phytochemicals with antioxidant properties. The presence of chemopreventive substances, such as anthocyanins, ellagitannins and ellagic acid, is associated with the influence of these fruits on all stages of the carcinogenesis process. Vitamin C, contained in large amounts in berries, as well as resveratrol, ferulic acid and catechins, also have a strong antioxidant and anticancer effect.

Research shows that berries can reduce DNA damage caused by free radicals and carcinogens, support DNA repair, regulate processes related to cancer development such as the rate of cell proliferation and apoptosis (programmed cell death), alleviate inflammation and inhibit angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels).

Fruits can support detoxification thanks to their antioxidant, diuretic and fiber properties. They also play an important role in strengthening the immune system and protecting against infections.

These tasty fruits are a real wealth of valuable substances and a great prevention for everyone. During the season, it is worth reaching for fresh fruit every day, playing with their colors and flavors, adding them to meals or using them as a tasty snack. Out of season, you can use preserves in the form of jams, compotes, dried or frozen fruit.

HERE ARE SOME INSPIRATIONS:

Blueberry smoothie

Ingredients:

🟢 250 ml of unsweetened almond milk

🟢 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

🟢 1 banana

🟢 1 tablespoon of ground linseed

🟢 1 tablespoon of chia seeds

🟢 1 handful of spinach

🟢 1 teaspoon of honey (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Add honey if you want the smoothie to be sweeter. Pour into a glass and enjoy the taste.

Blueberries can be replaced with blueberries or strawberries.

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Spinach salad with berries  and poppy seed dressing

Ingredients:

🟢 6 cups of fresh spinach leaves

🟢 1 cup of chopped strawberries

🟢 1 cup of blueberries

🟢 1/2 cup of raspberries

🟢 1/4 cup of red onion, cut into thin slices

🟢 1/2 cup of crushed tofu a la feta

🟢 1/4 cup of chopped almonds, lightly toasted

Poppy seed dressing ingredients:

🟢 1/3 cup of olive oil

🟢 3 tablespoons of apple vinegar

🟢 2 tablespoons of honey

🟢 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds

🟢 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

🟢 salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the dressing: in a small bowl, mix olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper until smooth.

Prepare the salad: combine spinach, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and red onion in a large bowl.

Pour the poppy seed dressing over the salad and mix gently to coat all ingredients. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and toasted almonds.

Serve immediately after preparation.

Based on https://www.modernhoney.com/spinach-berry-salad-with-sweet-poppy-seed-dressing/

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Cold "cheesecake" on a pistachio base with blueberries

Ingredients for a 16 cm diameter cake tin:

🟢 400 g of cashews soaked in water for at least 8 hours

🟢 30 g of unrefined coconut oil

🟢 60 g of fresh or dried dates soaked in boiling water or agave syrup

🟢 juice of 2 lemons (you can also grate some zest from the organic lemon)

🟢 1/3 vanilla pod

🟢 100 g of blueberries for the cake + 50 g for sprinkling or blueberries or raspberries

🟢 fresh leaves of selected herbs for decoration, e.g. mint, basil, oregano

Ingredients for the base:

🟢 100 g shelled pistachios (any) - I use them raw

🟢 100 g of fresh or dried dates soaked in boiling water

Execution:

Line a baking tray with baking paper

Crush the pistachios in an ice crusher (the crusher is usually purchased in a set with a blender). Add the dates and blend again until combined. Add a little water if necessary. Place in a baking tray and press evenly on the bottom.

Rinse the cashews thoroughly and cut the vanilla into smaller pieces. Place all ingredients in a container and blend until smooth. Add a little water if necessary. Mix with a spoon with the berries. Pour onto the bottom.

Place berries and herb leaves on the cashew mixture.

Put in the fridge for min. 8 hours. Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

The recipe comes from the Misa Mocy blog https://www.instagram.com/misa_mocy/

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Sources:

Foodstuffs for preventing cancer: the preclinical and clinical development of berries

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/19258544/

Review of Functional and Pharmacological Activities of Berries

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/34202412/

Cancer Prevention with Freeze-dried Berries and Berry Ingredients

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/17574861/

Chemopreventive and Therapeutic Effects of Edible Berries: A Focus on Colon Cancer Prevention and Treatment

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/26840292/

Laboratory and clinical studies of cancer chemoprevention by antioxidants in berries

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/18544560/

Berries and Human Health: Mechanisms and Evidence

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/37299490/

Review of the health effects of berries and their phytochemicals on the digestive and immune systems

https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/76/1/29/4565752?login=false

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Author:

Joanna Niewolik