Smoothies are great post-workout snacks because they are packed with healthy ingredients, and they taste delicious, as well. You can make smoothies by mixing and blending your favorite fruits, such as apples and bananas. You can also add in some oats, yogurt, and cereals to it to make it more flavorful.
Aside from smoothies, another healthy and easy way to increase your fruit intake is by juicing. Today, juicing fruits and even vegetables are easy as you can buy your own juicer and use it at home anytime. If you are looking into juicing at home, you can try the cold press juicer by Aicok. However, smoothies and juices can also get tedious. And if you begin to dread out your daily smoothie or juice, maybe it’s time to spice it up with new fruits.
To make your smoothies and juices more exciting and delicious, you can add some berries to it. If you haven’t tried drinking berry smoothies, then you should now. Berries are among the healthiest fruits or ingredients to use in making smoothies and juices. They are packed with antioxidants and a range of other health benefits.
However, you do not want to sacrifice nutrition in the name of health. This means that you still need to choose what kinds of berries you should include in your drinks. To help you out, we made a list of the best berries that you can include in making smoothies and as well as juices.
Blueberries
Blueberries are, in fact, a smoothie staple. They are full of antioxidants that can help your body fight inflammation. Aside from that, it can also help lower blood pressure and improve brain function. They also have anti-diabetes effects and can prevent heart diseases, too. Blueberries have a slightly tart flavor, which pairs well with other ingredients. This means that you can dress them up or down in a lot of ways. Some of the best fruits to pair with blueberries are citrus fruits, bananas, mangoes, pineapples, figs, and as well as other berries.
If you do not have any fresh or frozen blueberries, you can also use dried blueberries. They can be lower in antioxidants, but they are higher in calories, making them a good choice for those who are looking for a good energy boost.
Cranberries
If you are into sour-tasting fruits, then cranberries are perfect for you when making smoothies or juices. These have a very sharp tasteand are not used raw very often. However, when it comes to making smoothies, they can make delicious shakes paired with other fruits that can balance its sourness.
Cranberries are rich in vitamins and minerals. Some of the health benefits of cranberries include healthy skin, improved digestion, lowered risk of heart diseases, improved eyesight, and prevention of urinary tract infections. You can pair them well with orange, pear, apple, pineapple, tangerine, and goji berries. You can also add some ginger or cinnamon to your smoothies to make it taste more delicious.
Mulberries
Mulberries are not used very often in making smoothies, but they are tasty and nutritious, too. They are great for your heart and can help reduce the incidence of blood clots. Aside from that, mulberries can also help lower your risk of cancer and improve your cholesterol. These berries also have a mild flavor that acts as a great base.
You can mix them with other fruits, and they pair well with citrus. You can pair mulberries with bananas, raspberries, blueberries, citrus fruits, milk, yogurt, cocoa powder, and almond butter.
Raspberries
Raspberries are tart and sweet at the same time. But they taste lighter compared to cranberries and blueberries. If you want sweet berries for your smoothies or juice, you can opt for ripe raspberries. The riper they are, the sweeter they taste.
Raspberries come with a range of health benefits, such as blood sugar control, reduced risk of cancer, improved arthritis, and anti-aging properties. They go well with grapefruits, blackberries, grape, lemon, peach, plum, nectarine, and apricot.
Blackberries
Blackberries are inky berries that are great to include in smoothies. They are quite sweet and have an earthy undertone and slight tartness, especially when they are not yet fully ripe. Blackberries have many benefits, including improved brain function, improved digestion, stronger immune system, and cancer-preventing properties.
You can pair blackberries with apple, mango, peach, apricot, citrus fruits, and as well as with other berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.
Strawberries
Strawberries are the most widely-used and well-loved variety of berry. They are sweet with a slight acidity. They are rich in vitamin C, which is why it is great to use it as a smoothie ingredient. They are also rich in folate or vitamin B-9, which is highly recommended during pregnancy. Aside from those, strawberries also have other health benefits, such as stimulating metabolism, controlling blood sugar levels, reducing inflammation, lowering the risks of chronic diseases, and contributing to the health of the heart.
When making smoothies, you can pair strawberries with many different fruits, such as other berries, kiwi, citrus fruits, apples, bananas, pears, melon, mango, pineapple, and more. They are also low in calories, making it a great berry option for those who are trying to lose weight.
Acai Berries
Acai berries have been popular a few years ago due to the weight-loss fad. But they are really fantastic when making smoothies. They contain more antioxidants compared to superfoods like blueberries and cranberries. Most of the time, you will find acai berries frozen or pureed. These berries have earthy undertones and can pair well with other ingredients. When making smoothies, you can pair acai berries with bananas, papayas, apples, pears, and other berries.
Goji Berries
Goji berries are usually sold in dried form. It helps them keep longer so you can store them and not be in a rush to use them. These berries have a sweet and sour taste that can be rather strong. It means that they can dominate other flavors. This is actually fine because they are delicious, even without mixing with other ingredients.
Goji berries can help boost your eyesightand can give you more energy and fight inflammation. You can also pair them with kiwi, strawberries, bananas, oranges, peaches, and dark chocolate.
Huckleberries
Huckleberries are fairly obscure fruits. But if you can get your hands on some, they can be the perfect addition to your next smoothie. They are great for those who are expectingbecause they can guard against prenatal health problems. Aside from that, huckleberries are also rich in vitamin C, which helps boost your immune response and safeguard your body from conditions like peptic ulcers, macular degeneration, and glaucoma.
Huckleberries also offer the perfect balance of sweet and tart, making it great for any smoothie recipe. You can pair them up with cinnamon, other berries, banana, yogurt, citrus fruits, vanilla, nutmeg, figs, and raisins.
Boysenberries
If you love blackberries in smoothies, then you can also consider adding boysenberries. They are as healthy as blackberries, and they taste like a mixture of blackberries and raspberries. It has an intense flavor with some sweetness and tang. They are rich in fiber and vitamin K. Aside from that, they also contain other minerals, such as potassium, iron, and manganese. They can help prevent kidney stones, improve skin quality, and as well as strengthen your bones. You can pair boysenberries with kiwis, blueberries, chia seeds, bananas, raspberries, and yogurt.
These are some of the best berries that you’ll want to include in juices and smoothies. Each of these berries will give your next smoothie a powerful boost of vitamins and antioxidants to help keep your body healthy.