BERRIES

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By: Ms.CiCi

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 One excellent source of vitamins and minerals is berries. They are high in Vitamin C which is important to building strong cartilage and joints, healthy skin and blood vessels. Berries also contain a variety of phytochemicals and antioxidants which give the plants their color and flavor to the berries. These phytonutrients are extremely powerful compounds for supporting optimum human health.  Berries are a great nutritional bargain because in addition to being low in fat and calories.

Berries come in a wide variety of favors, shapes and sizes. Some of the more popular berries include marionberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, chokeberries, currants, loganberries, boysenberries, autumn olives (not an olive), cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and grapes. Yes grapes!

The amount of time berries last in refrigeration varies. Raspberries, the most tender of berries, should last two days; blackberries, three days; strawberries, up to five days; and blueberries, up to two weeks. The only real downside to buying berries is having them mold.  If berries are in a well ventilated cartons or in a single layer on a paper towel lined shallow pan they will last longer.

Berries are generally crops for the patient gardener as a long term investment. Most berry plants usually don't get abundant crop for a few years however, berries can produce massive crops in relatively small growing areas.

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