Try a Berry Breakfast for Maximum Health Benefits

Berries are fleshy fruits that usually have many seeds, just like grapes, tomatoes, etc. Known for their antioxidant benefits, berries are a great addition to your breakfast or snacks to promote health. Having a berry breakfast will easily ensure a fresh start to our day. 

There are many types of berries and all of them are equally healthy. However, their nutritional content, which is mostly the same, only varies in the amount of vitamin C. Strawberries have a relatively higher content of vitamin C than all the other berries. 

If you are wondering what to make with berries for your breakfast, this article is a perfect read for you. Besides some great breakfast recipes with berries, we will understand their various benefits, giving you ample reasons to incorporate them into your diet. 

Health Benefits of Berries 

Not only because of the taste, but berries are a very healthy choice of fruit due to the below-mentioned health reasons too. Here is why you must include some berry breakfast options into your diet: 

1. Berries are full of antioxidants like anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and resveratrol that help to keep free radicals under control. 

2. Berries may also help protect your cells from reaching high blood sugar levels and help in increasing insulin sensitivity. 

3. They are also a good source of fibre, including soluble fibre. Some studies suggest that consumption of soluble fibre helps in increasing the feeling of fullness, resulting in decreased calorie intake. This makes weight management easier.

4. Berries, especially strawberries, are high in vitamin C content. They are low in calories and rich in several other nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and manganese. 

5. Berries help to fight inflammation. They have strong anti-inflammatory properties. There can be long-term and increased inflammation due to a lot of factors like stress, consumption of processed foods, etc. Consumption of berries helps to reduce the inflammation and reduce the risk of development of health issues

With seasonal changes and winters just around the corner, berries are in abundance. It is the perfect time to consume seasonal fruits, especially sweet, juicy berries like raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, etc. and have a berry breakfast that is filling and yummy. 

5 Ways to Have Berries for Breakfast

Here are some delightful recipes with berries that work as great breakfast ideas. Give them a shot:

1. Overnight Oats with Berries

When it comes to a healthy breakfast, you can never go wrong with oats. This is a highly fibrous berry breakfast option that is simple, quick, and easy to prepare. 

Ingredients:

• Equal parts – yoghurt, almond milk (or any other milk), and oats
• Mix of fresh or dried berries of your choice
• Almonds

Method: 

Simply soak the oats overnight in a mixture of yoghurt and almond milk. In the morning, mix in the berries, stir, and serve either hot, cold, or at room temperature. 

2. Blueberry Scones with Lemon Drizzle

This is a delightful berry breakfast that you can simply prepare and bake in advance by making a bigger batch for the week. This recipe makes 8 large scones. You can vary the proportions accordingly to make your own batch size for your family. Prepare in advance to save rush hour madness. Simply heat and serve with a dash of lemon drizzle and coffee. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups wheat flour
• ¼ cup sugar or 1/3 jaggery
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cold butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 egg + enough buttermilk to make ¾ cup of liquid
• 1 cup fresh blueberries 

Method:

• Preheat your oven at 425 degrees fahrenheit
• Make a mixture of flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the food processor. Pulse it several times.
• Add butter pieces to the mixture and pulse until the mixture is ready.
• Now, take a bowl and mix this batter with blueberries. 
• Add liquid to it and gently incorporate it into the mixture using a rubber spatula. Your dough will be ready.
• Shape the dough into a large square, 1 ½” high. Cut the square into 4 equal pieces. Then cut each piece into halves, diagonally. 
• Tame the scones and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. 
• Take them out of the oven and set them aside to cool.

Ingredients for Lemon Graze:

• ½ cup icing sugar
• Juice of ½ a lemon

Method:

• Mix the ingredients well.
• Now drizzle the scones with the glaze and serve. 

3. Strawberry Jam

This is another one of the easy-to-prepare breakfast recipes with berries that can be used for breakfast over two weeks. It is a yummy add-on to your butter sandwich or breakfast muffins.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh (or frozen, thawed) strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large apple, peeled and coarsely grated
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method:

• Mix the strawberries and sugar in a heavy skillet. Now, stir it over medium-low heat. 
• Simmer it until the jam thickens. It will take about 10–15 minutes.
• Then stir in lemon juice.
• Transfer the jam to a bowl or jar and let it cool.
• Cover it and chill until set for about 2 hours. Keep it chilled and serve within 2 weeks.

4. Strawberry Raspberry Smoothie

Smoothies are a great way to have berries for breakfast. This recipe uses raspberries and strawberries but you can also make breakfast with blueberries, using them in smoothies with oats and protein powder of your choice. 

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup non-fat or low-fat milk
• 1 cup non-fat Greek yoghurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 pack strawberries
• 1 package raspberries

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients and blend until smooth. 
• Serve immediately  

5. Blueberry Waffles

Who does not love waffles and when they come with a twist of healthy ingredients and berries, there is no better berry breakfast ever. 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar/date syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup milk powder
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 egg
• A cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

Method:

• Take a large bowl and combine the flour, sugar, salt, oil, milk, egg, milk powder, and baking powder in it. 
• Mix all the ingredients using a whisk until well combined. It’s fine if the batter seems slightly lumpy but avoid over mixing. 
• Take blueberries and gently fold, using caution not to break them.
• Heat your waffle iron and coat it with cooking spray.
• Pour the batter into a waffle iron and cook until golden brown. It will take about 8 minutes. 
• To keep the waffles warm, crisp, and fresh, keep them covered in a 250-degree oven. 

Conclusion

You can include berries for breakfast in a multitude of ways. If nothing else, simply freeze berries with yogurt to make some yummy berry pops. You can also add them to your porridge, fruit salad, or morning juice to create your own berry breakfast combo. Whichever way you like them, berries are must-haves in your daily diet. So, go ahead and try these fun recipes and give your health a yummy boost.