Red raspberries are the perfect snack or dessert for anyone on a low carb diet - or indeed for anyone who wants a more healthy diet.



At only 1.4g for 1/4 cup, you can easily have 2 or 3 servings and still have quite a low carb treat, even in the beginning stages of your diet.

Berries are also incredibly potent as natural antioxidants. You should have 3,500 antioxidant units (ORAC units) each day. A quarter cup of raspberries provides you with 1,220!

A raspberry busy is actually a member of the rose family, and is also closely related to the strawberry. The raspberry bush is naturally found in North America as well as Europe. They were known to the ancient Greeks. Romans grew raspberries as did English cottage gardens. Raspberries was well known to Indians. Colonists quickly learned to make jams, jellies and preserves with this tasty berry. Scotland became well known for its raspberries in these years.

A raspberry plant starts making berries after 2 years and normally lasts for 8 years or so. The best raspberry plants seem to come from crosses of the North American and European strains.

Traditional lore says raspberries prevent nausea, morning sickness and miscarriage. By the 1700s, they were being used Europe both as a form of toothpaste and also as a medicine to promote heart health. The doctors might have been right with that one!

Berries and Antioxidants