Berries are some of the best things you can put in your body. I also will often say that about beans and greens, but seriously they are all pretty stellar contributors to your well-being. Despite being sweet, berries will not spike an insulin response like other sweet foods.1, 2 In fact, increased berry consumption has been linked to decreased risk of stroke, heart disease3, diabetes, and GERD4,5 among other health benefits.
Today, I was in the mood for cherry pie, so I made this creamy-deliciousness to satisfy the craving. It has the yummy lemon-almond-vanilla-ginger flavor that’s so great in cherry pie without the processed sugar… Just as good for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients:
1 heaping cup fresh or frozen cherries
1 inch of peeled, diced, fresh ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp grated lemon zest or 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 T almond butter
2 dried dates
1 c milk-preferably soy/almond/coconut/nondairy variety
Directions: Blend all ingredients together in a blender… Drink! I use a Vitamix which makes blending easier; if it’s not blending properly, scrape down sides when blender is turned off, and/or add more milk.
- R Torronen, M Kolehmainen, E Sarkkinen, K Poutanen, H Mykkanen, L Niskanen. Berries reduce postprandial insulin responses to wheat and rye breads in healthy women. J Nutr. 2013 Apr;143(4):430-6.
- K Johnston, P Sharp, M Cliffor, L Morgan. Dietary polyphenols decrease glucose uptake by human intestinal Caco-2 cells. FEBS Lett. 2005 Mar 14;579(7):1653-7.
- JG Jung, HW Kang, SJ Hahn, JH Kim, JK Lee, YJ Lim, MS Koh, JH Lee. Vegetarianism as a protective factor for reflux esophagitis: a retrospective, cross-sectional study between Buddhist priests and general population. Dig Dis Sci. 2013 Aug;58(8):2244-52.
- HB El-Serag, JA Satia, L Rabeneck. Dietary intake and the risk of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: a cross sectional study in volunteers. Gut. 2005 Jan;54(1):11-7.
Dr. Amy Doherty 
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