6 tips on berries and blood sugar

Berries are refreshing tasty fruits and fructose levels will not send your blood sugar levels sky rocketing. These tips will help.

Berries are refreshing tasty fruits both raw and cooked. They're full of fibre and red-blue natural plant compounds called anthocyanins that may help keep your blood sugar in check. Scientists believe anthocyanins, also found in cherries, may help lower blood sugar by boosting insulin production.

Berries, especially blueberries, have a well-earned reputation for being especially rich in powerful disease-fighting antioxidants. Studies show they're good for your eyes, heart and memory.

Strawberries are a surprisingly good source of heart-healthy vitamin C, and eating cranberries can help fend off urinary tract infections.

Opt for fresh or frozen berries over berry juices. They contain fibre for controlling blood sugar. Keep these tips in mind:

• Berries are nutrition powerhouses, but they're also fragile fruits.
• Choose berries that are plump and free of bruises or mold.
• The skin of blueberries should be smooth and not shrivelled. The hazy white coating you see on blueberries is a natural protective coating, so don't try to wash it off. Look for blackberries and raspberries that aren't leaking.

For top freshness, take note of the following storage tips for your berries:

• Store berries in the fridge and rinse them just before serving; otherwise, they'll go bad faster.
• Buy organic strawberries when you can.
• Buy berries when they're in season and freeze them.

Use jams with care. Even those whose labels say they're 100 per cent natural fruit spread contain either added sugar or added fruit juice and have higher glycemic loads (GLs) than whole fresh fruit.

Berries can complement countless dishes, adding eye appeal as well as sweetness and flavour. Check out the following ideas:

• Top your waffles, pancakes and cereal with berries.
• Add berries to muffin batter.
• Stir fresh or frozen blueberries into plain yogurt for a satisfying snack.
• Be adventurous and make wild blueberry salsa with diced onion, jalapeño pepper, red pepper, cilantro and lemon juice.
• Use whole strawberries as edible garnishes.
• Drizzle 15 millilitres of chocolate syrup over fresh strawberries for a decadent but healthy dessert.
• Serve fresh berries with frozen yogurt or ice cream.
• Sprinkle fresh berries over tossed green salads.
• Add dried cranberries to green salads or grain side dishes.
• Make a smoothie with yogurt, mixed berries, vanilla extract and orange juice.

There’s a huge selection of berries to pick from to satisfy both your tastebuds and nutrition needs. These tips will help you make the right decisions for both your palate and your health.