10 Healthiest Foods for Your Heart in 10 Days: Day 6

Berries, some of the most flavorful and colorful foods imaginable,are also great for your heart.  But the news gets better; whether you prefer strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, or raspberry, the greatest benefit seems to come from eating a variety of berries, so fill your bowl with the deepest and lushest hues and textures of the summer season and savor for your health.

Berries are a great source of dietary fiber, which is found exclusively in plant foods.  Fiber is not broken down by the human body and soluble fiber, actually works by slowing the emptying of the stomach, which helps with weight control by making you feel full.  It also reduces LDL (bad cholesterol) by interfering with the absorption of cholesterol from your diet, and increasing your intake of soluble fiber by 5-10 grams per day may reduce LDL by up the 5% (women under 50 need 25g per day and men, 38g (Mayo Clinic)).  Though soluble and insoluble fiber are both a good-for-you part of foods, and the best way to insure an adequate supply of both is to eat a varied diet full of fruits and vegetables, oatmeal is one of the greatest sources of heart-healthy soluble fiber, and with blueberries and strawberries being high on the list, choosing oatmeal sweetened by your favorite fresh berries may be the simplest and heart-healthiest way to kick off your day.

The US Department of Agriculture found that blueberries, specifically, have a compound in them called pterostilbene, which has the ability to fight bad cholesterol much as the antioxidant found in grapes that led to the reports of red wine being good for the heart.  In fact, pterostilbene, as found in certain blueberries, was found to be more effective at lowering bad cholesterol than that found in grapes and may even help raise good cholesterol levels. 

As for raspberries, they possess a compound called anthocyanin that not only gives the fruit its rich red color but also helped reduce the risk of heart disease and inflammation, according to the "Journal of Nutrition."  Currently, research is being focused on inflammation and its role in heart disease, but doctors from the American Heart Association contend that just as our white blood cells attack a splinter, which cause the area around it to become red and swollen, our arteries react to injuries to the heart, such as smoking or high cholesterol, causing fatty deposits that narrow the artery and restrict blood flow.

All of the science on berries does not matter as much as the fact that they are delicious and wonderfully simple to add to your diet, as they are low in calories, high in taste, and quite filling, but they can be expensive, especially as strawberries and blueberries appear on the "Dirty Dozen," which is the list of foods most contaminated with pesticides.  To buy organic and save money, consider buying frozen, especially during off-seasons, and look to a store brand, such as Whole Foods' 365.  If you are not buying organic frozen berries, read the label to insure that sugar has not been added to the fruit.  Frozen berries are perfect for smoothies, mixed in yogurt, cooked in oatmeal, and for baking, though my three-year-old would eat an entire bag of frozen raspberries with his bare hands if given the chance.

If you want fresh berries, consider a local farmers market or follow your favorite grocer on Facebook, where many companies will advertise sales.  Another options is to grow your own.  Not only is planting and caring for the plant a learning experience for children, but it can save you considerable money.  Often research on blueberry plants will reveal that they will take three years to bear fruit, and no child can wait that long (and, honestly, I will kill a fragile, new plant), but mature blueberry bushes can cost as little as $20-30, and though you have to buy two so that they can cross-pollinate, you should recover your investment in about two years.  Think you do not have room?  Some experts recommend growing blueberries in pots as it allows for better control of the soil. 

Once you buy your berries, the ways to enjoy them are only limited by the imagination.  Add blackberries to an apple crisp.  Combine with your favorite yogurt and granola for  filling breakfast or lunch.  Go wild with your smoothie and popsicle recipes.  Add berries to pancakes, on top of waffles, in your salad, on your cereal, or in your muffins, or just pop open a container, wash, and enjoy them simply as they are.  You can even use them to cut calories without ever feeling the sacrifice; try replace your favorite after-dinner treat with fresh berries for one week.  Being low in calories but high in taste, your mouth and mind will think it is a sweet treat but your waistline will relish the low-calorie truth.