15 Consider the Blackberry
Reflection
Purplish, black—deep and dark gleaming—the brambling blackberry. Native to almost everywhere, the blackberry brambles have been gracing growers for centuries, there are over 24 varieties of this plant. There is even a “white” blackberry! A wild fruit - once rare to grow in gardens- now it is cultivated in backyards and homesteads. There are on large commercial farms where farmers grow blackberries as their main crop. This ancient fruiting, thorny plant has been used for centuries as medicine, as food and drink, and as hedgerows for protection.
A tart and sometimes sweet and tender berry, the blackberry only ripens on the vine. From green to white, pink to red, purple, bluish purple and deeper to black, these fruits are packed with color— and that means nutrients! I like them raw. Do not cook my berries! Toss them in a salad, top nice cream, blend them into smoothies or smoothie bowls or sauces - blackberry salad dressings with a balsamic base are surprisingly good! There are so many ways to enjoy them. I think my favorite is just eating them in the wild - just as they are picked from the vine! The birds singing all around - we -together- are celebrating the season of the blackberry - I smile and pluck and plop one in my mouth. The blackberry moon must be shining on me - Ummm. Yes, give them to me raw! And the tea - the tea is divine! I will have to share a recipe— that will have to be another day. Let me know in the comments if you would like a video and blog post on blackberry tea. People do cook them- they preserve them as jams and jellies. They bake them in cobblers, and crumbles, and pies. They distill them even—and age them into fruity wines. A popular berry - the blackberry is sweet and nutritious.
Basket of Blackberries by August Laux
Eating the blackberry fruit or making a tea of the leaves has many benefits.
Fresh blackberries have that classic, whole foods, 80 10 10 profile that I love so much about plants where 79% of their nutrients are in carbs, 10 fats and 11 protein. Amazing! One berry gives you all that you need and nothing you don’t. Well - you would need to eat a lot of the berries to get all of your calories as one cup only comes to 62 calories. These black beauties are also high in dietary fiber which contributes to a healthy heart and gut as it regulates your bowels, lowers cholesterol levels, regulates blood sugar, as well as contributes to your physique as it helps you to maintain a healthy weight. Blackberries are rich in many vitamins and minerals too, particularly vitamin C and manganese, both antioxidants which as we all know are helpful to all the cells of our bodies! Because of this, eating them benefits skin health and helps the body with various functions such as transporting oxygen. Blackberries also have vitamins A and K, which is good for blood and bone health and vision; potassium, which lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease; magnesium, which supports 100s of functions in your body including the alchemization of food into energy, the creation of proteins, muscle movement, and nervous system regulation; iron which is great for you blood and calcium that is great for your bones.
If you haven’t already, grab a bucket or a basket or don a fine apron with deep pockets and go gather some fruit. I would rather be a gatherer than a hunter -the opportunity for that is at hand, and the nutrients pay off nicely!
Resources:
“Blackberry.” Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, Jan. 2018, p. 1; EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=funk&AN=bl106100&site=eds-live.
McDermott, Annette. “Blackberries: Health Benefits and Nutrition Information. Healthline.com. https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-blackberries. Assessed 14 June 2021.