There’s nothing quite like a fresh pick of the good ole’ famous bramble, bramble raspberry – the blackberry.  Some of us have fond memories of trips to the mountains, spotting a blackberry bush and anxiously running over to it (avoiding the stinging nettle of course – or not) and popping a fresh berry right into your mouth. Now that’s nature. That is the exact sensation we want you to get when you pop our ideally sourced blackberries into the mouths of both you and your family, fresh off a trip from your local grocery store.

 

An interesting fact many may not be aware of is that many botanists don’t consider the blackberry and actual berry – rather an aggregate fruit.

 

The majority of this fruit and its subtypes are found in the colder or temperate climates of the Northern hemisphere, mainly The United States and Canada. Humans have consumed blackberries for centuries, which goes as no surprise given the sweet and savory blast of flavor.

It is however, interesting to note that blackberries are valued differently around the world. Namely in North America, we see blackberries consumed plain as just a fruit, often incorporated into dessert dishes, jellies and even wine! There are however locations such as Chile, New Zealand and some areas in the US and Canada where a very specific subtype of blackberries are considered to be an invigorating weed issue that causes harm to large farming institutions. Wild blackberries are where it gets a bit trickier – it is not recommended to do the old pop of the blackberry off the bush into your mouth any longer due to various potential contaminations. We’re talking contaminations such as roadside spills, pesticides, insects, and toxins from traffic we can’t always control.

Forensic evidence says that blackberries have been consumed for over 2,500 years! Medicinally, people have been known throughout thousands of years to do everything from chew the leaves or make teas from the blackberry root to relieve mouth sores to acting as an herbal medicine for stopping diarrhea. It is fascinating to read and hear about the utilization of so many different commodities in ancient times and how our ancestors found such unique and plentiful uses for every part of a plant.

 

So what type of nutritional value are we talking about when it comes to these sweet and savory berries?

 

Perhaps we should begin with these surprising facts…

 

• ONE CUP of raw blackberries has 62 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 14 carbs.

 

• ONE CUP of raw blackberries has 2 milligrams of Vitamin C. As we well know, any natural way we can get Vitamin C is a major plus in healing and preventative measures for our bodies.

 

• ONE CUP of raw blackberries contains just about 8 grams of fiber. Fiber is not the easiest bout of nutrition to get throughout daily consumption – so when we find a commodity that is packed with fiber and can prevent the likelihood of serious medical complications later in life – we pay attention.

 

• ONE CUP of raw blackberries is just about 29 micrograms of Vitamin K!

 

• ONE CUP of raw blackberries has 9 milligrams of manganese.

Now that we’ve got the basics down, let’s talk about how easy it is to incorporate this super food into a healthy diet. Check out some options below:

 

1. Berries & Cream anyone? Freshly washed out of the carton and right into a bowl. You may even want to add a dash of Chantilly cream or Cool Whip for that matter on the side to dip in. Our Tip – put the cream in the freezer before use and drool over the refreshing combo at anytime.

 

2. Blackberry Waffles/Pancakes – mix a few blackberries into batter of pancakes or waffles and call it a day! Instant antioxidants to go with those carbs.

 

 

3. Shake It Up – this can be a sweet milkshake or your daily protein shake. No need to measure – just throw a few in the blender here and there!

 

4. Top off your salad with some color by adding these sweet little guys in for a new kind of flavor to balance out your greens.

 

 

5. DIY Parfait – we love this one. A little Greek yogurt, some granola, add blackberries and top off with honey and coconut shavings. Yes, please!

 

 

*We understand you may experience a heightened and increased sense of dependence on blackberries once you start incorporating them into your weekly diet. We take zero responsibility, yet it should be known we fully support this dependence. So relax back and throw back a few brambles – or many.