June heralds the arrival of two of my favourite fruits……strawberries and gooseberries, not only do they taste delicious but they are good for you too!

Strawberries
June brings tennis at Wimbledon, synonymous with strawberries! It’s goodbye to the spanish imports and hello to our native berries which are so much tastier. In the West Country, fabulous strawberries are grown around Cheddar, why not check out the Somerset farm shops to find out where you can buy them.
They have been eaten since Roman times when they were believed to help digestive ailments. They are also used to help whiten teeth. They are very rich in vitamin C, more than oranges. High in fibre, and as children love them, they are a great option if your child struggles with constipation, a common childhood problem. Also a good source of manganese and folic acid. They are also thought to help prevent various cancers as they contain antioxidants. They also seem to have an anti-inflammatory action which can help ease painful joints and they may even reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Gooseberries
Probably not as popular but my favourite, especially when made into delicious jam, my favourite is made by Ruth. Did you know that they also go well with oily fish?
Have been grown in Britain since the time of Henry VIII and were used in the 16th century to treat fevers and also given to plague victims.
They are quite sharp, so you generally need to add sugar but they are still good for you.
A good source of vitamin C and a 140g portion of stewed gooseberries only contains 22 calories (extra for the sugar!!)
Also a useful source of fibre and rich in vitamin A.

At this time of year lots of Pick Your Owns open for business and you can pick your own berries, as well as eating the odd one as you go along!
If you know of any, please get in touch and we can list them!

Click here to see the May Health page
Click here to see the April Health page
Click here to see the March Health page
Click here to see the February Health page