🫐From Garden to Table: Mulberries — Tiny Fruits, Big Nutrition?

...and the Science Behind It.

The first time I picked a fully ripe mulberry from my own plant, I understood why they rarely appear in supermarkets.

The fruit was soft, juicy and naturally sweet. It was nothing like the firm berries that need to survive days of transport and storage. Before I could enjoy too many of them, however, I discovered that I wasn't the only one waiting for the fruit to ripen. The birds had been watching too!

That little competition made me curious about another question.

Are mulberries as nutritious as their reputation suggests?

What Makes Mulberries Special?

Mulberries are small fruits produced by trees in the Morus genus. Depending on the variety, ripe fruits may be white, red or deep purple to almost black.

Despite their size, they provide several important nutrients, including:

• Vitamin C
• Dietary fibre
• Iron (in modest amounts)
• Potassium
• Vitamin K

Like many deeply coloured fruits, dark mulberries are also rich in natural plant compounds called anthocyanins, which give them their rich colour.

The Power of Colour

Those dark purple pigments are more than just attractive.

Anthocyanins are antioxidants that help protect plant tissues and, when eaten as part of a balanced diet, contribute to the body's overall antioxidant intake.

Researchers continue to study whether diets rich in anthocyanin-containing foods may support heart health and healthy ageing. While the findings are encouraging, it is important to remember that these benefits come from an overall healthy eating pattern rather than from any single fruit.

A Good Source of Fibre

Mulberries also contain dietary fibre.

Fibre supports normal digestion and helps promote fullness after meals. Most adults do not eat enough fibre, so regularly including fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains is a simple way to improve overall diet quality.

Mulberries can be one delicious part of that approach.

Fresh Is Best... If You Can Get Them

One reason mulberries are uncommon in supermarkets is that they are extremely delicate.

Once fully ripe, they bruise easily and have a relatively short shelf life. That makes them difficult to transport over long distances.

Growing your own—or buying them fresh from a local grower during the season—offers a chance to enjoy them at their sweetest.

Myth vs. Fact

Myth: Mulberries are a miracle "superfruit" that can prevent disease.

Fact: Mulberries are certainly nutritious, providing vitamins, fibre and antioxidant compounds. However, no single fruit can prevent disease on its own. Good health depends on an overall balanced diet, regular physical activity, adequate sleep and other healthy lifestyle habits.

My Takeaway

Growing mulberries has taught me that some of the best fruits are the ones you rarely see on supermarket shelves.

Their sweetness, delicate texture and nutritional value make every successful harvest feel special—even if I have to outsmart a few hungry birds to enjoy it.

Sometimes the freshest food is also the hardest to buy, which makes growing it yourself all the more rewarding.

From Garden to Table

My mulberry journey has included new leaf growth, continuous fruiting, experiments with air-layering and even a friendly rivalry with visiting birds that seemed to know exactly when the berries were ready.

If you'd like to follow that journey, along with the lessons I've learned from growing edible plants in a tropical balcony garden, I invite you to visit Lechaim Farm.

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A Note for Readers

This article is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. If you have questions about your diet or health, consult a qualified healthcare professional.

🧄From Garden to Table: Garlic — Separating Health Facts from Popular Myths

...and the Science Behind It.

Garlic has been part of kitchens around the world for thousands of years.

It adds flavour to countless dishes and has long been used in traditional medicine. Walk into any supermarket or pharmacy today and you'll find garlic in many forms—fresh cloves, powders, oils and supplements—often accompanied by impressive health claims.

But how much of that reputation is supported by scientific research?

Let's separate the facts from the myths.

Why Garlic Has Attracted So Much Attention

When a garlic clove is crushed or chopped, it produces natural sulfur-containing compounds, the most well-known being allicin.

Allicin gives fresh garlic its distinctive aroma and is one of the compounds researchers believe contributes to many of garlic's biological effects.

However, allicin is unstable and changes quickly after garlic is cut or cooked. This is one reason why studying garlic in scientific research can be challenging.

Myth vs. Fact

Myth: Garlic can cure the common cold.

Fact: There is no convincing evidence that garlic cures a cold once you have one.

Some studies suggest that regular garlic consumption may slightly reduce the frequency of colds or shorten their duration, but the evidence remains limited. Good hand hygiene, adequate rest and appropriate medical care remain the best ways to reduce the impact of respiratory infections.

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Myth: The more garlic you eat, the healthier you become.

Fact: More is not always better.

Garlic is a healthy food, but eating excessive amounts may cause stomach discomfort, bad breath or digestive irritation. Garlic can also interact with certain medications, particularly blood-thinning medicines.

As with most foods, moderation is the better approach.

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Myth: Garlic lowers blood pressure enough to replace medication.

Fact: Some research suggests that garlic supplements may have a modest effect on blood pressure in certain people.

However, the effect varies, and garlic should never replace medication prescribed by a healthcare professional.

Lifestyle changes, regular medical follow-up and prescribed treatment remain the foundation of managing high blood pressure.

What Garlic Does Offer

Garlic is more than just a seasoning.

It contributes flavour without adding significant calories and contains small amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese and other nutrients.

More importantly, using garlic often encourages home cooking, which generally makes it easier to prepare balanced meals using fresh ingredients.

Sometimes the biggest health benefit comes not from one ingredient, but from the healthier eating habits it supports.

Fresh Garlic in the Kitchen

Whether minced into stir-fries, added to soups, roasted with vegetables or mixed into sauces, garlic brings both flavour and aroma to everyday cooking.

One simple tip is to let chopped garlic rest for about 10 minutes before cooking. This allows more allicin to form before heat begins to break it down.

There's no need to overthink it, though. Garlic remains a wonderful ingredient whether eaten raw, lightly cooked or fully cooked.

My Takeaway

Garlic has earned its place as a healthy ingredient, but not because it performs miracles.

Its greatest strength may simply be that it helps us prepare delicious meals using fresh ingredients while contributing beneficial plant compounds as part of an overall balanced diet.

Good health is rarely built on one food.

It is built on many good choices, repeated over time.

From Garden to Table

Although my own garlic plants have had their ups and downs, growing them has given me a deeper appreciation for every clove that reaches the kitchen.

Following their journey—from planting and growth to harvest—has reminded me that every ingredient has a story long before it reaches the cutting board.

If you'd like to follow that gardening journey, I invite you to visit Lechaim Farm, where I share both the successes and the lessons learned from growing garlic and other edible plants on my tropical balcony.

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A Note for Readers

This article is intended for general educational purposes only. It should not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have an existing medical condition or take prescription medications, consult your healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes or using garlic supplements.