The Razzlin' Dazzlin' Raspberry

Welcome to raspberry season! It is actually time for many types of berries to be harvested – woohoo! Berries have many similar qualities but today we’re going to learn specifically about the wonderful raspberry.

Do you like raspberries as much as the cute bunny in the video below?

A single raspberry is actually a cluster of many little fruits called drupelets. If you have ever thought that raspberries have a lot of seeds, it is because each drupelet has its own seed. All those seeds add fiber, which is a good thing!

You can find raspberries at the farmers markets but some farms allow people to come pick their own produce. Click here to find a farm near you where you can pick your own raspberries! (Scroll to the middle of the page and then select the general region you live in)

Raspberries, and other berries, contain a high amount of a substance called antioxidants. Antioxidants help reduce the risk of developing different diseases by protecting cells! Here some other nutrients that your body absorbs from raspberries:

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, it helps protect cells. It also helps the immune system stay healthy.

Fiber from all those seeds helps with good digestion.

Manganese helps with bone formation and turning food into energy.

Fresh or frozen, you can do a lot with raspberries!

Eat them plain – yum!
Mix raspberries into yogurt
Use them in a smoothie
Top ice cream with a few raspberries
Use them in baked goods – muffins, cakes, pies, etc.
Add them to a salad
Mix them in with cereal or oatmeal
Make raspberry lemonade
Make jam

There are over 200 species of raspberries which range in color from red, yellow, orange, purple, or black!

Raspberry varieties are split into two categories – summer-bearing (harvested in summer) and ever-bearing (harvested in fall). Varieties of red and yellow raspberries are harvested in the summer and fall. Purple and black raspberries are mostly harvested in the summer.