Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries… All these gourmet fruits and berries are all part of the list of red fruits. With their delicate and subtle taste, they have it all: low in calories, rich in water, vitamins and antioxidants.
The Red fruits are often associated with pleasure, to the gluttony and the tangy taste that we all love. They arrive early in the season, from April, and accompany us all summer. Some (like elderberries) are still available in early fall. In addition, red fruits allow the creation of sweet and juicy pastries, full of vitamins!
Red fruits for all tastes
Red fruits are indeed rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids and many other essential micronutrients. Their actions as antioxidants differ because of their content of certain elements.
Generally speaking, Red fruits allow us to slow down or even stop the degeneration of certain cells. Their regular consumption and in large quantities therefore increases longevity and health capital.
Here is our list of red fruits – which are not all berries – including types of plants ranging from plants to trees through shrubs …
1. Strawberry, the top of the list of red fruits
Strawberries appear on the shelves as early as March, however, by this time they come from Spain or further afield, are often pushed out of the ground, and are therefore generally tasteless. In May, you can catch up on the sweet and sun-kissed Gariguettes!
Strawberries are not very sweet and have little energy (35 kcal per 100 g on average). It contains 60 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, it is therefore an interesting source especially as its low caloric level allows to consume a portion of 250 g without excess.
The flavonoids are the main phenolic compounds, antioxidants, present in the strawberry and they are responsible for its red color.
2. Cherry
Cherry is not an ordinary red fruit and it is sometimes classified as stone fruit with plum, mirabelle plum or peach. Anyway, the cherry has a color that does not deceive, which more than justifies its presence in our list of red fruits.
Cherry arrives in May with the Burlat variety. It is the first stone fruit to appear in the spring. A little more calories than other seasonal fruits, it contains vitamins A and C, omega-3 and omega-6.
To be able to harvest cherries, you must have a large garden allowing you to devote a part to them in the orchard, since the cherry tree bears fruit for 20 to 50 years!
3. Raspberry
In our list of red fruits, the raspberry is a fruit of great delicacy that appears in the month of June. It is made up of several small grains called drupéoles. It is recognized to promote good intestinal hygiene and are beneficial in the fight againstobesity. It is rich in fiber and antioxidants and helps control blood sugar.
Thanks to its high nutritional density (vitamin C), raspberries help to slow down aging. Growing raspberries is easy, accessible to all beginners. Raspberries can be eaten as soon as they are picked, fresh, but they can also be frozen very well.
4. Currant
The currants are harvested from the beginning of summer until August for the later ones. As these are sour fruits, they are not eaten raw except for a few used in decoration of plates, but they freeze very well. On the other hand, we make delicious jellies as well as syrups and coulis.
Very good source of vitamin C, the currant contributes to the maintenance of the tone of the skin. It contains a lot of water, which allows hydration andelimination of toxins skin. It also helps in healing wounds and protects skin cells against premature aging caused by free radicals.
5. Blackcurrant
The fruits of blackcurrant are black berries forming pulpy clusters, with smooth skin, very aromatic, topped with the remains of the calyces of the flowers from which they come.
Blackcurrant is used mainly by processing industries (liquor, syrup, jelly, perfume). Its sour juice is thick, bordering on purple. It is rich in tannins, aromas, vitamin P and vitamin C (from 100 to 300 mg / 100 g).
The fruits freeze very well but you can also transform them as soon as they are picked by making jelly, sorbets, coulis or even syrup for aperitif kirs! It can also be consumed in a liquid way, with the famous crème de cassis that is used to make kirs, syrups, liqueurs, mash or coulis.
6. Blackberry
In the list of red fruits, the wild blackberry comes from the bramble and is part of the Rosaceae family. The cultivated blackberry is the fruit of the mulberry tree which is part of the Moraceae family. The blackberry season begins in June and ends at the end of summer for wild blackberries and continues until mid-October for cultivated blackberries.
The blackberry is a anti-inflammatory natural with a composition rich in antioxidants and vitamins. It helps maintain healthy transit and is also excellent for blood circulation.
7. Blueberry, the superstar of our red fruit list
Bilberry is a summer fruit and a superfood devoted. Wild blueberries are found in the middle mountains in Ardèche, Auvergne and the Vosges. Thanks to the effects of the anthocyanin which is in the fruit, it is possible to keep a beautiful skin.
Both subtle on the palate and slightly tart in terms of taste, blueberries have the particularity of helping to curb the effects of aging such as the decline in brain function and memory. It also has beneficial effects on the health of the eyes.
8. Black elderberry
In the list of red fruits, we can also mention black elderberries which are collected in August and September in the countryside, away from fields treated with pesticides. Be careful, only black elderberries are edible, not those of other varieties.
With black elderberries, you can prepare jelly but you should not eat them raw because they are very purgative.
9. Cranberry (or cranberry)
The cranberry comes from North America and is generally bought dry or in a jar for cooking, as an accompaniment to game or poultry. Fresh, it freezes easily.
The fruit of elimination par excellence, the cranberry is recognized for its ability to protect the bladder from repeated infections. It helps relieve women suffering from recurrent cystitis. It is often associated with antibiotic treatments. Indeed its antioxidants have the power to line the mucous membranes thus preventing pathogenic bacteria from attaching to them.
10. Lingonberry
Lingonberry is a cousin of cranberry and their berries look similar. In France, it is harvested in summer in mountain areas. She has power draining and antibacterial. But this fruit can also help improve digestion, stop diarrhea, regulate transit and soothe pelvic pain.
To this action, are added virtues antiseptics which are effective against urinary tract infections especially recurrent cystitis. Lingonberry therefore prevents bacteria from adhering to the lining of the bladder and limits the proliferation of pathogenic germs. It contains a high content of vitamin C which helps fight against free radicals. Its richness in potassium and manganese contributes to muscle health and the maintenance of blood pressure.
