(NaturalNews) If you`ve ever met a mulberry, you`ll surely have remembered the encounter. They`re tasty, juicy little things which are the fruit of the various types of mulberry tree, and are available either fresh or, more commonly, dried. They can be used to make-up delicious raw granola, and various other recipes. As with all berries, they offer great health benefits and, as with all berries, they have their own unique make-up. So, here are three reasons why you should eat raw mulberries.
Mulberries have a delicious taste and texture. The taste is subtle and sweet. The texture in the fresh fruit is juicy, and the dried fruit has a satisfying crunch from the seeds. You can mix fresh mulberries with other fruits, add them to smoothies, put them in salads, or just eat them as they are. The dried fruits are even more versatile and because they`re portable, they make an excellent snack on the go. Just make sure that they aren`t dried at very high temperatures, so that all their enzymes and nutrients remain intact. Dried mulberries can be used to make a type of raw granola, for those on a raw food diet. You can simply mix dried buckwheat sprouts with the dried mulberries, some fresh fruit, and serve it with raw nut milk.
Mulberries are rich in anthocyanins (ref:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulberry), which are the chemicals that give berries their colors. The same chemicals act as powerful antioxidants when consumed. Anthocyanins are thought to be able to increase the quality of our eyesight, fight cancer, slow down the aging process, fight or control diabetes, and generally strengthen the body against disease. The main antioxidant in mulberries is Resveratrol, which is thought to increase endurance, fight neurodegenerative diseases and prevent cancer. Tests have also indicated that Resveratrol may counteract the ill effects of a high fat diet (ref:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resveratrol).
They also have plenty of other nutrients, including quite a large percentage of protein. In this way, a snack of just a handful of mulberries provides you with a well rounded bundle of various vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and protein. The berries are also a very good source of Vitamin C and iron (ref:
http://www.therawfoodworld.com/product_info.php?cPath=100150_100148_10022...), which makes them especially good snacks for anyone who feels slightly rundown. Mulberries also have a high amount of potassium, magnesium, and Vitamin K. All in all, with their nice taste and texture, and the ease with which you can carry around the dried version, mulberries make perfect snacks.
Resources:
http://www.therawfoodworld.com/product_info.php?cPath=100150_100148_10022...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resveratrolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MulberryAbout the author
Matt Monarch has been on a 100% Raw Vegan Diet since 1999; he eats only raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and seaweeds. He is currently the owner of three different health-promoting websites.
In partnership with Raw Food Pioneer and Nutritionist Dr. Fred Bisci, Matt has co-created
www.TheRawFoodWorld.com, which sells support tools to help people live free of degenerative disease. Matt's other websites are
www.RawSpirit.org and
www.LivingNutritionals.com.
After eight years eating a 100% Raw Food Diet, Matt has written two books on the subject – Raw Spirit, and Raw Success. In recent years he has spent much of his time touring the United States, presenting well over 200 Raw Food Lectures. He is widely sought out as a speaker and gives talks worldwide on how to live a healthier lifestyle.
Matt has appeared as a key speaker at events including The Raw Spirit Festival and many other festivals and expos. He was featured in a Raw Food TV Spot that aired over 15 times on Al Gore's TV Network, Current TV. This TV spot can be viewed at
www.RawSpirit.org. As 6-year owner of The Raw Food World and Living Nutritionals, he is well versed in people's needs and concerns about health.
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