it's the berries

My son Evan teases me whenever I bring up the subjects of antioxidants & free-radicals, as though those terms had political implications. It’s as though I had picked up a flag & joined in a protest march or something like that. Well here’s a little tid-bit to add to his arsenal of ways to tease mom. I just read that adding ethanol – the type of alcohol found in rum, vodka, tequila & other spirits – boosted the antioxidant nutrients in strawberries, blueberries, raspberries & blackberries, thereby increasing their free-radical scavenging activity.

Of course, all smart Democrats, Republicans, Socialists & Green Party members know that those brightly colored, tasty orbs contain polyphenols & anthocyanins, compounds that have been documented to lower the risk of cancer, heart disease & certain neurological diseases, but not until now did they learn that adding a shot of rum, or whatever you like, will make these luscious fruits even more potent in their health promoting qualities.

Forget about flags; I’m going to buy some cute little cocktail umbrellas to stick on my morning bowl of fruit. hiccup… hic... oh, pardon me…