Swell Nutrition: Blackberries

Is it Blackberry season in your area? It is here! I love Blackberries. As a kid, I lived out in the country and there was a huge bush (I'm talking more than 8 ft tall) about 30 steps from my front door. My sister and I would stand there and eat straight from the bush, always keeping an ear alert for rattlesnakes, because you know what - they love Blackberry bushes, too.

There are two bushes on my current bike training route. The other day I took a zip lock and filled that sucker up. My favorite way to eat the berries is raw, but with a couple of steps you can make a good Berry Crisp for desert or you could freeze the berries for smoothies.



To freeze them, first rinse in a colander, drain well, then lay them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet or shallow pan, allowing space between the berries so they freeze singly, not stuck together. Put the pan in the freezer, then when berries are hard, take them off the pan and put them in a freezer bag. Use as needed for smoothies, snacks (accidentally typed "snakes," because I've got snakes on the brain), or recipes.



Some quick nutritional data on Blackberries....

1 cup Blackberries have....

*62 calories

*8 grams of Fiber

*50% of daily required Vitamin C

*Blackberries are a good source of Vitamin E, Folate, Magnesium, Manganese, and Vitamin K



Image credit: Chase Your Bliss Photography