Berry Benefits

Sunday 27th February is National Strawberry Day, and in honour of the strawberry, we thought we’d talk all things berry related, and how they can benefit our skin.

Why are strawberries good for you?

Strawberries and berries in general are very good for you. They have many incredible benefits for the skin, such as helping to reduce skin wrinkling, boost collagen and encouraging the improvement of circulation. They contain antioxidants which help to control free radicals (atoms that can cause damage such as ageing skin), so as well as being highly nutritious, they’re a huge benefit to your everyday life.

Collagen is part of your skin’s structure, and it allows your skin to stretch. Ensuring you have high collagen levels is important if you want to maintain firm skin. If your collagen is damaged, your skin could start to sag, appear hollow and you could develop wrinkles too.

Why are blueberries good for you?

Blueberries specifically are known for being good for you, as they improve the skin and are an essential part of any diet. They’re known for having “disease fighting properties” (which has been incredibly handy the last 18-24 months!) and they’re available all year round, so there’s no excuse not to include them in your diet.

Blueberries are also great for wound healing! The little blueberries contain Vitamin C and Vitamin K which are key to healing cuts, burns and blemishes. Now don’t rush off to the shops and stick a box of blueberries on your arm where you burnt yourself with your hair straighteners! Instead, have a pot of blueberries as your mid-morning snack or blend them into a smoothie to ensure your body gets the full release of vitamins.

Not only do they help with healing, but blueberries can also reduce inflammation. Going back to the free radicals we spoke about earlier, when the skin is damaged and becomes inflamed, your body now has a higher number of free radicals than it does antioxidants. This means your body isn’t going to heal very quickly. By eating blueberries, because they’re high in antioxidants, they can help to lower the number of free radicals and speed up your healing process.

How to include berries in your diet

A great and easy way to include berries into your diet is through smoothies. Quickly whiz up a smoothie to have on the go in the mornings and by lunch time you will have already had a good chunk, if not all, of your 5 a day. Or some other great alternatives are:

• eat them plain
• on top of yoghurt or a dessert
• mix them into cereals
• make a jam

So, the question is will you be eating more strawberries and blueberries after reading this? I know I will be!