Ready, set, blend! There's no easier way to load up on important daily nutrients than with an energizing blended drink.

Attention all parents out there: if you're in the throes of child-rearing and meal-planning, making a smoothie or shake is the absolute best parenting hack for sneaking in a ton of healthy ingredients that the kids won't even know are in there. Goodness for the whole family!

WHY ARE BERRIES SO HEALTHY?

Berries are some of the healthiest foods you can eat, due in part to the powerful phytochemicals they contain. The bioactive parts in berries include phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and tannins. They're rich in vitamins such as C and A, minerals, fiber, and relatively low in calories.

Individually or synergistically, the nutrients in berries have been shown to provide protection against several health disorders. Growing evidence, that seems to grow alongside public consumption, suggests that eating berries confer antioxidant and anticancer protection to humans and animals. Free radical scavenging, protection from DNA damage, induction of apoptosis, and inhibition of growth and proliferation of cancer cells are just to name a few. 

Many of the most common berries - blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries -  have cell-protecting, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperglycemic effects. Full of antioxidants, they also help to mitigate oxidative stress in the body and are good for the heart and immune system. Berries even have positive modulating effects on microbiota to improve digestive health. They're abundant in phenolic compounds (reword to avoid plagarizing:

Peak berry season runs from July to September. In the Pacific Northwest, blackberry bushes grow wild all over. If we are blessed with a warm summer with prolonged periods of sun, you can pick some of the most incredible blackberries right off the bush when they are fully ripened. Deep dark blackberries. Sweet, with a depth of flavor that is out of this world. For many of us from this region, picking berries right off the bush is a childhood memory. Worth the effort, thorns and all.

On regular eating, phenolic acids also promote the anti-inflammation capacity of human beings). (reword)

Eating moderate amounts of berries, on a regular basis, ......

WHAT ARE ANTHOCYANINS?

There's been a recent crop of new research regarding the health benefits of phenolic compounds such as anthocyanins, flavonols, and phenolic acids. Concentrations of these beneficial compounds vary, depending on the type of berry.

Ripe blueberries, for example, are particularly abundant in anthocyanins. These pigments have been shown to..... Phenolic acids are readily absorbed through the walls of the intestinal tract and help to protect cells from free-radical oxidative damage.

Using our award-winning Udo’s Oil 369 Blend, Udo’s Choice Beyond Greens, your best source of undamaged good fats, anti-oxidants, fiber, probiotics, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fermented greens and other plant-based goodies, all formulated to energize.

THE ANTIOXIDANT EFFECTS OF OMEGA-3

The body can make all the fatty acids it needs, synthesized mostly from carbohydrates, except for omega-3 and omega-6. These two essential fatty acids play many important biological roles in the body and we must therefore get them directly from our diet.

In addition to being required for normal growth and development, omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is cardio-protective, anti-hypertension and anti-inflammatory.

Like berries, omega-3 also acts as an antioxidant. Specifically, omega-3 alpha linolenic acid (ALA) improves antioxidant enzyme activity. This, in turn, will either stabilize or deactivate free radicals that cause cellular damage by taking away their energy.⁽¹⁾ 

In addition, newer evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may positively affect the activity of telomeres, a measurement used to help assess an individual's health and lifespan. As we age, telomeres begin to shorten and decrease in activity due to chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Omega-3 seems to provide some protective effects against this.^(2,3)

TRIPLE BERRY BLAST SMOOTHIE

Makes 2 cups or 16 fl oz (1-2 servings)

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

¼ cup blackberries (fresh or frozen)

¼ cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)

½ medium banana

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons  Udo's Oil 3·6·9 Blend

1 tablespoon Udo's Choice Green Blend

A small handful of nuts like pistachios, almonds or cashews (optional)

½ cup of water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Drink immediately.

REFERENCES:

1. Qiangha Yuan, Fan Xie, Wei Huang, Mei Hu, Qila Yan, Zemou Chen, Yan Zheng, Li Lui. The review of alpha-linolenic acid: Sources, metabolism, and pharmacology. Phytother Res. 2022 Jan;36(1):164-188. doi: 10.1002/ptr.7295. Epub 2021 Sep 22. PMID: 34553434.
2. Sawan Ali, Giovanni Scapagnini, Sergio Davinelli. Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on the telomere length: A mini meta-analysis of clinical trials. Biomol Concepts.  2022 Feb 21;13(1):25-33. doi: 10.1515/bmc-2021-0024.
3. Alessandra da Silva, Brenda Kelly Souza Silveira, Helen Hermana, Miranda Hermsdorff, Walmir da Silva, Josefina Bressan. Effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on telomere length and telomerase activity: A systematic review of clinical trials. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2022 Jun;181:102451. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2022.102451. Epub 2022 May 21. PMID: 35661999.