RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES
Raspberries are sweet, sligthly acidic and little tart berries that are usually too expensive to eat in big amounts, although they should be enjoyed from time to time. Raspberries and blackberries belong to the caneberry family, which inhabits the temperate climates and grows in the wilderness. Their thorny stalks are characteristic for this family of fruits, and their flowers carry a high number of the female ovaries that each result in small "units" of seeded mini-fruits that all together make up one berry. Another unique attribute of caneberries is their high metabolism and breathing rate, which makes them very unstable once harvested - in other words, they should be consumed as quickly as possible before the water evaporates through their thin skin. These berries are commonly in season during the warm months of the year, typically between June and October. Other times of the year they can be bought frozen, although they lose their delicate texture and some flavor with such treatment.
Historically, raspberries have been discovered in the wilderness in China and even in the Western hemisphere of our planet. During the era of hunter-gatherer lifestyle, people began to spread the seeds of the berries into larger and larger areas of the world. Eventually, through accidental and planned cross-breeding, new varieties of caneberries have appeared, including boysenberries, and loganberries, as well as the Scandinavian cloudberries, and a number of other types.
The flavor of raspberries is most intensive in the wild variety, and blackberries are most intense in flavor among the American variety. They are both a good source of phenolic antioxidants (a.o. ellagic acid, commonly sold in health stores) that combat the common civilization disorders, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. These phytonutrients are well-documented and considered to be among the most powerful health molecules we can eat. In addition to this, raspberries also have a lot of manganese and vitamin C - another types of antioxidants.
When you buy raspberries and blackberries, or any of the variants of caneberries, make sure that you are going to eat them as soon as possible. One day of prolonged storage can result in drying out and acidification of the berries, rendering them unedible. When in the store, select the berries that are firm, not wrinkled, unblemished, without any traces of mold, and nicely colored. Often, berries are packaged in plastic containers - if so, make sure that they are not "sweaty" or that there are no traces of juice in the package.
Once you've brought the berries home, store them in a refrigerator, but first do a little check for any molded or blemished berries and discard them. This is to prevent contamination of the other berries. Make sure that they are not packed too tightly together either, as they need a lot of air to breathe. Avoid storage at room temperature or in sunlight, as this will hasten their spoilage. If you want to freeze your berries, it is best to store them in single layers without any additions.
One last thing: caneberries contain a substantial amount of oxalates that are promoting the kidney stone problems. If you are one of the persons afflicted with this disorder then you should not consume caneberries in big amounts. Consult your doctor to make sure on how much you can eat.