As spring turns to summer and the strawberry harvest begins to dwindle, we welcome the arrival of berry picking season. In Japan, raspberries are gathered mainly in Hokkaido and Nagano prefecture. Germany, which is on the same latitude as Hokkaido, has an optimal climate for berries.
Sweet and sour as well as cute to look at, berries are packed with nutrition and vitamins. Containing a folic acid in the vitamin B family and a dietary fiber called pectin, they are ideal for suppressing sudden glucose level increases in your blood and help relieve constipation by increasing the amount of good bacteria in your guts. Anthocyanin, a type of polyphenol contained in the purple pigment of berries such as blue berries, is used to treat eye fatigue and aids in reducing the production of active oxygen, a cause of aging. Furthermore, berries are a good source of potassium, which is effective against lifestyle diseases, and contain folic acid which is helpful for preventing anemia. Overall, they are a pleasant summer snack with antioxidant and beauty effects.
＜Potential benefits＞Skin care and the prevention of colds, cancer, anemia, and lifestyle diseases (hypertension, arteriosclerosis, cerebral infarction, myocardial infarction, etc.).On the downside, berries don’t last long once harvested and must be stored in a fridge for immediate consumption. This is why most berries are either frozen or preserved as jams, sauces, or alcohol.
Johannisbeeren (Redcurrant)Red currants, “Fusasuguri” in Japanese, are native to Europe. Sour and full of seeds if eaten raw. They are often boiled with sugar to remove the seeds and made into jam or berry liqueur.
Himbeer (Raspberry)Called the same in Japanese, and known as framboise in French. They are very soft, sweet and sour. During this season, you can see them being sold in German supermarkets.
Brombeeren (Blackberry)Known as blackberries in Japanese, they are ready to eat when they are ripe and black. Though some are sour, others aren’t and make for a good fruit snack. These are also great for preserving in jam.
Rote Grütze (Red Berry Compote)“Red groats” are eaten with dairy cream or vanilla sauce.
Stachelbeeren (Gooseberry)These are known as “seiyousuguri” or “gooseberries” in Japanese. In German, “stachel” means “thorn”, and these prickly berries are very popular in cakes.
So please enjoy berries, one of summer’s blessings, for both their beauty and rejuvenation effects.
