In mythology, they are said to have magical powers, and they are also considered a new superfood in our culture: the berry. It's a shame that they are only available fresh in summer. You could freeze the berries, but how healthy are frozen berries anyway? And do frozen fruits have the same nutritional content as fresh ones? We will answer these questions for you in this article.
Berries – Find out everything you need to know about berries here
Just how healthy are berries really?
Whether it's currants, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, strawberries or blackberries, they are beautiful to look at, whet your appetite and have a slightly sweet taste that makes any dessert taste even better. Let's start with the ‘queen of berries’: the raspberry grows on shrubs and belongs to the rose family. The shrubs can grow up to two metres high.
Did you know that, contrary to its name and popular belief, the raspberry is not actually a berry? It belongs to a different type of fruit, namely the aggregate fruit. A multiple fruit is characterised by a fusion of individual fruits from the fruit leaves of a single blossom. It includes strawberries, blackberries and, as already mentioned, raspberries. The berry itself is an achene fruit, which can be further categorised into stone fruits, which include cherries and plums. But for the sake of simplicity, we will grant the raspberry the title of berry for now.
But now back to our queen: the fruit consists of about 85% water, making it particularly low in calories. However, the low calorie density does not detract from its flavour: it tastes very sweet. Maybe you have wondered whether raspberries have been secretly added to a plate of them when you have had them at a relative's house, or at least that they are very sugary. BUT: raspberries contain hardly any sugar at all! Hard to believe? It gets even better: they are a real vitamin bomb! They sweeten up your healthy breakfast and spice up your porridge or muesli.
The fruit's high fibre content aids digestion. Raspberries also contain lots of antioxidants such as provitamin A, vitamin B and vitamin C, as well as various minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron and folic acid. Antioxidants protect the body against ‘free radicals’. These ‘free radicals’ are formed by the body itself during various metabolic processes, among other things, but external influences such as UV rays, environmental toxins or cigarette smoke also attack the body. So if you change your diet to include more antioxidants, such as vegetables and fruit, you will benefit from the positive powers of nature.
It has been proven that the antioxidants in fruit can strengthen the immune system, repair damaged body cells and counteract skin aging. Furthermore, by consuming food with an antioxidant and thus repairing effect, you are providing your memory with a true superfood that boosts your memory performance. It is not only the ‘queen of berries’ that shines on her throne of health benefits. Her sisters, such as the strawberry or the blackberry, also contain a high number of vitamins, such as vitamin C, iron and folic acid, and are therefore very healthy. Blueberries, in particular, contain many phytochemicals that neutralise a number of carcinogenic substances. A ‘berry day’ alone covers the daily requirement of minerals and vitamins.
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Do berries lose their health-giving ingredients when they are frozen?
The difference between frozen and fresh berries is minimal. Ali Bouzari, a scientist at the University of California, has put this to the test. His conclusion: no major differences were found in the analysis of dietary fibre, minerals and antioxidants. The cold has little effect on the vitamin content of the fruit.
If you have a craving for berries in the winter, you can confidently reach for the frozen ones. Or you can freeze local berries yourself in the summer. This way, you can enjoy healthy local berries frozen all year round. So whether fresh or frozen fruit, from a health point of view it almost doesn't matter.
What should I bear in mind when freezing berries?
All berries are of different quality, but they are all very delicate. They don't tolerate a lot of water and they don't like high pressure. After harvesting, they only keep for a few days, so you should process them quickly. First, you should wash the berries briefly and with little pressure and, for example, remove the green stems from the strawberries. Then place the berries individually on a plate with a little space between them and place the plate in the freezer for about two hours.
Freezing them first will help to prevent lumps from forming later. After freezing, you can place the berries in a standard freezer bag, but you should shake it a little after a few hours to separate the berries from each other. Frozen berries will keep for about 6 to 8 months.
Are all berries suitable for freezing?
Yes. However, blueberries are better than strawberries, for example, because they retain their crunchy texture even after thawing.
How can I prepare berries?
What's special about berries is not only their high vitamin content and health benefits: berries can be combined with many meals, so you'll never get bored. It's best to mix them into your breakfast first thing in the morning, so your body gets a real superfood right at the start of the day to get you ready for it.
Whether you prefer a crunchy muesli, a gluten-free breakfast, oat flakes or classic porridge for breakfast, many of our Verival products can be perfectly combined with healthy fruits to create a delicious meal! It takes very little effort to transform your morning meal into a healthy breakfast! Have a sweet tooth? No problem! With their very sweet taste, no honey bee will get its money's worth.
Have you ever tried English porridge with warm strawberries or cranberries as a topping? The fruit sauce that results from heating the fruit (or defrosting it) makes you forget all about honey or syrup!
