A fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary is a botanical definition of berry. Like any other nutritious and succulent fruits like apples, oranges, bananas and kiwis, berries can also be used to make some of the most scrumptious and gorgeous foods.
Many people don’t even know what berry actually is. They think that strawberries, raspberries and blueberries are the only berries, which is not the case. It is important to tell here that these are botanically classified as ‘false berries’. Berries are fleshy fruit such as grapes. Mostly berries are edible, but there are poisonous berries as well ranging from toxic to extremely poisonous.
Different Kinds of Berries
Some of the popular kinds of berries are given below:
Gooseberry
It is a small pebble-like green berries which have a silvery cast and a bit of sour tart. They are largely used in the manufacturing of jams, pies and certain other sweet dishes. Gooseberries are also used to make sauces. They best grow in cooler climates and ripe from July to September.
Grape
A small, non-climacteric fruit grows in clusters of usually 6 to 300 on perennial and deciduous woody vines. It is found in different colors such as black, dark blue, yellow, pink, crimson and black. Many people use grapes for raw eating; however grapes are used in jams, wine, vinegars, juices, grape seed extract, grape seed oil and raisins.
Blueberry
Blueberry is categorized botanically as a false berry. It is of dark blue or purple color, having a tart sweetness. Blueberry has both wild and cultivated variants. Wild blueberries are small in size with concentrated flavor, while cultivated blueberries are comparatively larger and juicier than wild ones. Blueberries are used in jams, ice creams, tarts, juices, pies, glazes, fruit salads, etc. Blueberries can also be used for the heart degeneration, stomach ailments and other heart diseases. They are in season from June to August.
Raspberry
Like blueberries, raspberries are also false berries which are small and tightly packed. They are found in black, yellow, red and purple colors. Raspberries are rich in vitamin C and K, magnesium and manganese. Due to these nutrients, these are used to kill the cancer cells (oral, esophageal, liver, bladder, and colon cancer) and suppressing their growth. Raspberries are used to make jams, juices, sorbets, yogurts, jellies, pies, ice creams, and smoothies. Get more health benefits when you add protein powder in your smoothies. Raspberries are in season from June to August.
Strawberry
Strawberry is popular fruit eaten all over the world. Strawberries are used to make several culinary dishes, such as shortcakes, jams, sorbets, ice creams, coulis, pies, tarts, milk shakes, yogurts, dressings, salads and garnishing. Most of the varieties of strawberries grow the entire year, though the peak seasoning period is from April to July.
Rose Hip
A large bottle-shaped pomaceous fruit cultivated from the rose plant, found in red and orange color. Dark purple and black rose hips are also found. Rose hips are rich in vitamin A, B and C along with other essential fatty acids and antioxidant flavonoids. Rose hips are good for the treatment of cold and flu (influenza). Rose hip peak season is from late summer to autumn. They are used to make herbal teas, jellies, jams, marmalades, beverages, pies, wine, breads, soups and syrups.
Acai Berry
Acai berries are small, round black berries. They are recently found treasure in the Amazon rainforests. These are rich in antioxidants and are useful for lowering the cholesterol level, improving the heart health, slowing the ageing process, and also help preventing the diseases known for cellular oxidative damage. One acai berry contains ten times the amount of antioxidant vitamins as grapes and two times the amount as blueberries. Acai berries are used in the making of juices, beverages, smoothies and sodas.
Other Types of Berries
Other types of Berries include:
- Elderberry
- Currant
- Barberry
- Honeysuckle
- Oregon Grape
- Nannyberry
- Mayapple
- Sea Buckthorn
- Wild Rose
- Cloudberry
- Indian Plum
- Goji Berry
- Cranberry
- Juniper Berry
- Mulberry
- Bearberry