Berry Smoothie

Hello there! So as you may have noticed by now, I love smoothies. Every time I make one, I like to change it up and try new recipes. Today is a berry smoothie made using strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries, juice and milk. Enjoy!

Nutrition Spotlight: Blackberries

Naturally grown throughout the United States, blackberries are loaded with a good source of dietary fiber, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin K. It also contains vitamin E, folate, and potassium. At just 62 calories per cup, it is very low in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol.

Dietary fiber: Dietary fiber, found in many fruits like blackberries, helps normalize bowel movements by decreasing the risk of constipation.

Magnesium: Manganese, a type of trace mineral, functions in carbohydrate and fat metabolism, calcium absorption, regulation of blood sugar, and normal brain and nerve function.

Vitamin C: As I have learned in my Nutrient Metabolism class, vitamin C is an antioxidant and functions as an electron donor or reducing agent to protect the body from free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that contain one or more unpaired electrons in their outer shell and have the potential of damaging other molecules in the body such as proteins, phospholipids, and DNA in cells. Vitamin C stimulates the activity of white blood cells in the immune system that helps us fight against foreign bodies, harmful oxygen-free radicals, and toxins in the body. Adequate intake of Vitamin C prevents scurvy, a type of vitamin C deficiency that is characterized by signs and symptoms such as loose and decaying teeth, easy bruising, and bleeding gums.

Vitamin K: Vitamin K functions in bone metabolism, bone formation, and blood clotting. There are three forms of vitamin K: phylloquinone (also known as vitamin K-1), menaquinone (also known as vitamin K-2) and menadione (also known as vitamin K-3). We get most of our vitamin K in the form of phylloquinone (vitamin K-1), which are found in plants and foods like blackberries.

Vitamin E: Blackberries contain Vitamin E in the form of alpha tocopherol, which is the most active form of vitamin E. As I have learned in my Nutrient Metabolism class, vitamin E is the major lipid-soluble, chain-breaking antioxidant, meaning it is the first line of defense against oxidative damage to membranes.

Folate: Adequate intake of folate prevents birth defects such as neural tube defects. Folate also plays a crucial role in the synthesis of DNA in the body.

Potassium: Potassium, an electrolyte, is a mineral that is necessary for proper functioning in your body. As I have learned in my Nutrient Metabolism class, potassium plays a role in controlling the balance of acids and bases in the human body, as well as building proteins, maintaining normal body growth, and controlling the electrical activity of the heart.

Recipe: Berry Smoothie