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Eat More Berries to Improve Your Heart Health!

by | Apr 2, 2018 | Nutrition

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number 1 cause of premature death! A recent systematic review found an association between eating berries and a reduction in total cholesterol, low density lipids (LDL), triglycerides and blood pressure and an increase in heart protective high density lipids (HDL).

What does this mean?

Adding berries to your diet can help control cardiovascular disease risk factors! Eating berries can prevent fatty plaques from building up in your veins and arteries, and prevent heart attack and stroke.

Tips for adding berries to your diet:

1. Choose organic!

Berries are part of the dirty dozen, meaning they carry a lot of pesticides when grown conventionally.  Instead, chose organic where possible. 

2. Wash your berries before eating

Berries don’t have a removable peel.  You eat the fruit skin and all.  In fact, the skin holds powerful phytonutrients which is one of the reasons they are so powerful!  So, wash your berries before eating.

2. Frozen vs. fresh?

Choose either frozen or fresh berries.  Depending which berries are in season fresh or frozen will be more cost effective.  You can be assured fresh berries were frozen at their peak freshness maintaining their nutrition.

Bonus: Keto Berry Cheese Cake Recipe

Keto Blueberry Cheesecake

  • 2/3 cup coconut oil
  • 8 large eggs 3 yolks, 5 whites
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, cubed
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 tsp stevia, granulated
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup blueberries, frozen
  • Optional: Lemon zest

Keto Crust

  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut flow
  • 2 tablespoons psyllium husk powder
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 5 tablespoons ice cold water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Keto Crust Directions

  1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl: 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup coconut flour, 2 tablespoons of psyllium husk powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
  2. Scramble the 2 large eggs in a small bowl and let them sit for a moment.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to the dry ingredients and work it into the dry ingredient mix (your flours). You should have a good “sandy” consistency to the mixture.
  4. Add the eggs to the mixture in the bowl and mix in well.
  5. Add ice cold water until you reach a consistency where you can work with the dough, it should still look a bit sandy as you’re mixing, but if you use your hands, it should stick together.
  6. Knead the dough into a ball and let sit for 5 minutes.
  7. Push the dough into a square pan and work it in. You want to dough to be relatively thin
  8. Preheat oven to 320F. Line an 8” square pan with parchment paper.
  9. Once you’re done, par-cook the dough for 12-15 minutes at 350F.

Keto Blueberry Cheesecake

  1. In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients except for the blueberries and blend together
  2. Pour the mixture into the square pan with your cooked keto crust.
  3. Top the cheesecake mixture with frozen blueberries and optional lemon zest
  4. Bake for 25 minutes or until center is cooked.
  5. Allow the cheesecake to cool and cut into squares. Serve and enjoy!

Let us know if you tried this Keto Berry Recipe!

Reference:

Luís, Â., Domingues, F., & Pereira, L. (2018). Food Funct. 9(2):740-757. doi: 10.1039/c7fo01551h.