While filling your pantry with all kinds of healthy staples is a smart thing to do, your freezer can also be your secret weapon for storing healthy foods that would otherwise go bad in the fridge. From easy frozen dinners to simply stocking up on lean proteins, veggies, and fruits, your freezer can be a one-stop-shop for making a healthy meal every single night. If you’re looking to stock up on healthy freezer foods for the first time, there’s one frozen item in particular that you should reach for first, and that’s a bag of frozen raspberries.
Here’s why a bag of frozen raspberries should have a permanent spot in your freezer at home, and for even more healthy eating tips, be sure to check out our list of The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.
Raspberries have many health benefits.
First, raspberries are one of the healthiest fruits you can have due to the amount of dietary fiber it contains. One cup of raspberries contains 8 grams of fiber—which is 32% of the daily value you need. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends you consume between 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, which is a lot more than the average of 10 to 15 grams Americans usually consume. By adding raspberries to your diet, you’re easily increasing your fiber intake with minimal effort.
Next, Raspberries contain a myriad of nutrients that your body will love. One cup of raspberries contains 54% of your vitamin C recommended intake, as well as 41% of your manganese and 12% of your vitamin K. Raspberries also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, thiamine, calcium, zinc, as well as vitamins E, A, and B6
Lastly, raspberries also have a high amount of antioxidants, which your body needs in order to fight oxidative stress. By eating antioxidant-rich foods, your oxidative stress decreases, which also decreases your risk of diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
Frozen raspberries are incredibly versatile.
Along with all of the health benefits of eating raspberries, having frozen raspberries on hand can be helpful when you’re trying to throw together a healthy meal. Some of our favorite ways to use frozen raspberries include:
- Warming up raspberries and using them as a jam replacement for a PB&J sandwich.
- Topping warmed raspberries on oatmeal
- Blending up raspberries into a smoothie
- Mixing raspberries into your overnight oats (they will defrost in the mixture overnight)
- Using warmed raspberries as a delicious topping for desserts
So stock up on a bag of frozen raspberries immediately to reap those health benefits—and for all of these delicious treats!
More Frozen Food Stories on Eat This, Not That!
