Raspberries
belong to the rose family of plants, which houses some of the world's most
beloved fruits including apples, apricots, blackberries, cherries, loquats,
peaches, pears, plums, and strawberries. Almonds also belong to this diverse
family of plants. Among United States consumers, raspberries are the third most
popular berry and follow right after strawberries and blueberries.
There
are over 200 species of raspberries, all belonging to the scientific genus
called Rubus. However, many of
the raspberry species that are grown commercially can be placed into one of
three basic groups: red raspberries, black raspberries, and purple raspberries.
Scientists
aren't sure about the origins of raspberries. Wild raspberries appear on at
least five continents, and there is enormous species diversity for this fruit.
Some arctic species of raspberry are native to Alaska, the Aleutian Islands,
and northern Asia; other species are native to eastern Asia and the Hawaiian
islands; still others are native to Europe or to North America. In terms of
their first cultivation, we have evidence dating back about 2,000 years in Europe,
making raspberries one of the earliest berry crops. Natural trading and
traveling may have been important in the spread of raspberries, for example,
into North American from eastern Asia across the Bering Strait.
When
cultivated raspberries are compared with wild raspberries, they turn out to be
quite similar in terms of total phenols and total anthocyanin content. This
similarity is especially true when the cultivated raspberries have also been
organically grown. Although we might tend to think about a "wild"
food as being more rich in nutrients than a cultivated food, this distinction
does not hold true for raspberries when it comes to their phenol and
anthocyanin antioxidants.
Raspberries
rank high on the list of the world's most popular berries. Among the 400,000
metric tons of raspberries produced worldwide, Russia, the United States,
Serbia, Chile and Poland rank among the top producers. In the United States,
it's the West Coast that is most active in raspberry production, although
commercial producers can be found across the country. Interestingly, well over
500 organic farms in the U.S. are now certified for organic raspberry
production, and raspberries rank as the third most popular fresh use berry in
the U.S. following strawberries and blueberries. The United States also imports
about 15,000 metric tons of raspberries from Mexico to meet consumer demand for
this fruit.
Research
Source: WH Foods
Who
doesn’t love ice cream? Now you can make your own ice cream. No ice cream maker
need for this Red Raspberry Ice Cream recipe.
Red
Raspberry Ice Cream
Copyrighted
2013, Christine’s Pantry. All rights reserved.
Ingredients:
2
cups frozen red raspberry
1
cup almond milk
1
teaspoon vanilla extract
2
tablespoons chocolate cacao powder
2
tablespoons honey
Directions:
Add
all ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve as is for soft serve or
freeze 3 to 4 hours to harden ice cream. Enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Why not leave a comment or a suggestion? Be the first to leave a comment.