Fancy berries, why should you eat red berries?

Companies that berries o berries they are an authentic jewel of nature. Because of its flavor, which makes them irresistible both raw and cooked, its price, generally very high, its nutritional value and its great antioxidant power. Even its appearance is reminiscent of a jewel: in fact, the word “berry” derives from an Indo-European root meaning “to shine.”

We take a tour of some of the most powerful berries, exclusive and exotic on the market. And by the way we give you some tips on how to enjoy them.

Strawberry, the American ruby

Is the most popular berry (grown from Finland to Ecuador) and the sweetest. What today we commonly call strawberry is the result of a hybrid between two larger and more productive American varieties with respect to the autochthonous European ones, rather similar to the wild strawberries.

Strawberries are a fleeting pleasure, like all berries: you have to eat them as soon as they are harvested and not only do they not ripen, but they get worse as the days go by. Are rich in vitamin C, iron, manganese, ascorbic acid and antioxidants.

A curiosity: the seeds that line the pulp are actually miniature nuts.

A track: with one of the two American antennae of the strawberry, the Little Scarlet, one of the most exclusive jams on the market is made.

The Sicilian “limited edition” fresita

Legend has it that, during the Second World War, some soldiers brought very special strawberry plants from the Alps to Sicily. Strawberries, small and aromatic, they were wonderfully acclimatized on the Italian island, giving rise to a TOP variety: the Strawberry of Sciacca y Ribera (where its cultivation is concentrated).

These fruits grow on an area of ​​just 15 hectares and are harvested by hand from the beginning of April to the end of May. Two days of warm wind are enough for them to dry, paralyzing production for a while. Once collected, the fragolina it does not stand the test of time well, at most a couple of days. Its uses in the kitchen are multiple (the Scyavuru brand makes a jam exclusively with this variety) and its leaves and roots, which are used to make infusions, are reputed to be diuretic and purifying. Its price reaches 20 euros per kilo and because it is so delicate, it is not sold outside its production area.

Blackberry, vitamins to face autumn

Melancholic fruitLike all late summer berries, blackberries belong to the same genus as raspberries, the Rubus. They are rich in vitamins A, C, K, folic acid, manganese, fibers and boast high levels of absorption capacity for oxygen radicals and antioxidant phenols. There are many varieties of this fruit, such as Bedford Giant Himalayan GianYou’re here John Innes or the Oregon Cutleaf, and all with their own nuance.

As explained by Niki slower in the book The Encyclopedia of FlavorsWhat to look for in blackberries is a bouquet of rose, mint, cedar, and cloves beyond the generic berry flavors. They are very delicate fruits, difficult to collect and market in optimal conditions, that is why their retail price can touch the 30 euros the kilo.

A lesser known variety of blackberry is the Camemoro or Arctic blackberry, a yellow-orange Scandinavian fruit, also rich in nutritional and antioxidant properties. It is one of the star ingredients of the gourmet poles of Nordikos.

Raspberry, a flower-flavored fruit

Bittersweet and scented, raspberries They are the link that connects the fruit world to the floral world. A bite of this wonderful berry when it reaches its optimum point of ripeness is pure violet. A natural candy It also contains considerable amounts of vitamin C, riboflavin and niacin. In this case too, it is a question of fruits that must be collected, handled and stored with extreme delicacy. All this, in addition to its extraordinary flavor, makes its price more expensive in the market: around 24 euros per kilo.

Two very gourmet tracks: the extra jam from the Pazo de Vilane, undoubtedly one of the best on the market, and the Caprice of raspberry yogurt and lychee with rose petals from Pastor. A tribute to this flower-scented fruit.

The black cranberry, a flavor concentrate

Small, sweet, aromatic, nutritious and healthy. To the black cranberry a monument should be dedicated to it. It contains vitamins A, B, C and K, manganese, antioxidant flavonoids, a high content of tannin and tannic acid, responsible for its astringency and antibacterial properties. It is also known to protect the cardiovascular system, support eye health, and improve concentration.

An advice: the flavor of the blueberry is concentrated in its skin so the smaller they are, the better.

The cranberry, the king of the ‘superfruits’

El ANDI is a parameter that measures the nutrient density of a food on a scale of 1 to 1.000. Specifically, the index refers to how many nutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants) a certain food contains per gram.

Fruit tends to have a lower ANDI compared to vegetables, but the ranking is led by berries, being the cranberries those with the highest index. It is a more acidic blueberry variety and especially rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, phytochemicals and fiber. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties are also recognized. A superfoods with all the letters and also a super luxury: it can be purchased fresh for 34 euros the kilo.

The three colors of the currant

La currant It is native to Scandinavia and North America. It is a transparent berry, with an acidic flavor (due to citric acid) that makes it highly recommended to eat it with a little sugar or honey. It is little energeticIt contains vitamins, especially vitamin C and pectin, that is, it is perfect for making jams.

There are red, white and black currants, the most acidic variety but also the most aromatic and the richest in vitamin C. Apparently, the ancient apothecaries kept the dried currants for months and sold them as “Vitamin pills” during winter and spring. A tub of barely 125 grams of red currants fresh is close to 6 euros (more than 45 euros per kilo).

Gooseberry, a jewel to discover

La gooseberry is a variety of currant (also known as gooseberry). It is larger in size, is generally green in color and somewhat hairy to the touch. Its color, size and flavor vary, of course, depending on the variety.

La London, for example, is large and dark red in color, while the Langley Gage it is big, translucent and sweet. It is a king fruit, as the gooseberry is mentioned for the first time on the occasion of the purchase of the Garden of Westminster by Henry I in 1276. A jewel worth discovering.

Elderberry, berries and flowers

Companies that sauco strike They are other little-known berries, but very rich in anthocyanins, one of the four families of plant pigments, which is responsible for dyeing fruits and flowers red, purple and blue, and an important antioxidant.

Shipping is the fruits of trees of the genus Sambucus, which grow in the northern hemisphere, and are generally used in cooking cooked, as they are too sour (although aromatic) to eat raw. Much more famous is its flower that has been found as a fashionable ingredient in many delicatessen as infusions, ice cream and pure nectars.

The açaí, the most fashionable ‘superberry’

Similar to a blueberry, but larger and infinitely more powerful from the point of view of its antioxidant properties, the açaí It is a fruit that grows in the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. It is rich in vitamin A and E, omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids, amino acids, calcium, phosphorus, contains a good amount of fiber and is low in sugars.

The mark Coraçaí sells a range of organic products based on this superberry: pure açaí pulp, freeze-dried bio açaí and especially açaí sorbets, açaí with strawberry and açaí with banana.