Raspberries galore: How – and why – to get more of them in your diet

Good news! A bumper crop of British raspberries is coming to supermarket shelves after June’s heat delayed their arrival.

Peak production of the summer favourite fruit began this week, later than usual after the hottest June on record, industry group British Berry Growers said.

“As raspberries are in season, it’s the perfect time to include these bites of juicy goodness in your meals. Their health benefits are endless,” says Anna Tebbs, head chef and registered nutritionist at Green Chef.

“Not only are they surprisingly high in fibre – roughly about eight grams of fibre in one cup – they also include a range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

“To top it off, they are loaded with vitamin C, essential for glowing skin and to repair your skin after any sun damage – what a summer skincare hack.”

So how can we get more of them into our diet?

Salads

Raspberries work just as well in savoury dishes as they do in desserts.

“For lunch, they offer the perfect sweet touch to any salad: pair with a balsamic dressing and you are good to go,” says Tebbs.

Smoothies

“Freeze a peeled, small banana and blend with a handful of raspberries, 25g of oats, 200ml of coconut milk and a dash of agave and lime juice for a thick and cold breakfast smoothie,” suggests chef Fliss Freeborn, author of Do Yourself A Flavour (Ebury Press, £17.99, July 27).

No-churn ice cream

“This ice cream is magic,” says Freeborn.

“Stew down 700g of raspberries with a dash of water and a tablespoon of sugar until you have a coulis, then strain through a sieve and reduce until you have between 200-300ml [left].

“In a separate bowl, whip together a can of condensed milk with 500ml of double cream until soft peaks form, then whip through the raspberries until combined. Spoon into a freezable container and place in the freezer overnight for perfectly scoopable, no-churn ice cream,” she explains.

Garnishing desserts

Whatever your summer pudding, raspberries provide a bit of bright decoration and a pop of freshness.

Breakfast toppings

“My favourite way to include raspberries in my diet is by scattering them on a bowl of cereal, yoghurt or overnight oats,” says Tebbs.

Chia jam

Freeborn suggests a healthier take on raspberry jam by adding in chia seeds and reducing the amount of sugar (“think more fibre and omega threes”, she says).

“Add in two tablespoons of chia seeds per 400g of raspberries and half the sugar content of your usual recipe.” For example, this could mean 350g of sugar per 400g of raspberries.

Freeborn continues: “The chia seeds thicken the jam and end up just looking like extra raspberry seeds. Chia jam won’t have the shelf life of traditional preserves, so keep it in the fridge and use it after a week.”