Have you heard that blueberries are a superfood? Are they really? In my opinion YES!! I will explain. Your diet should include some sort of berries every day. I consume blueberries at least 3 to 4 days a week, sometimes more.
So, why blueberries? To start with they taste amazing. You get both tart and sweet with every bite. But for just a small fruit they pack a healthy punch. Blueberries contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are high in vitamin K, which is great for heart health, bone health, and blood clotting. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and Manganese.
Blueberries are higher in antioxidants than most fruits or vegetables. Why are antioxidants good for you? They protect your body from damage of free radicals. What are free radicals? Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage good cells in the body. You can't prevent free radicals in the body. They are derived either from normal essential metabolic processes in the human body or from external sources like air pollutants, industrial chemicals, and X-rays. But eating blueberries regularly can help reduce damage to your cells.
The antioxidants in blueberries also help prevent cholesterol in your blood from being oxidized. When cholesterol gets oxidized it damages the body, building up in your arteries. Not only does blueberries help with cholesterol levels, but also helps reduce high blood pressure. How? It helps the body to produce more nitric oxide, which actually reduces blood pressure inside the blood vessels.
Even though blueberries are naturally sweet, they also can help improve blood sugar levels. The difference with a natural sweet in blueberries verses sugar or sweetener is fiber. Fiber balances out the natural sweet, which helps your digestive system to run smoothly. It also prevents spikes in your sugar levels.
You can find blueberries in any super market, fresh or frozen. They are not on the dirty dozen list. But this is a fruit that I try to buy organic. The pesticide residue is less on blueberries than other fruits and vegetables. My rule of thumb is if it can't be peeled or opened, I go organic.
How do you eat blueberries? Actually, the question should be, how do you not eat blueberries? Fresh, frozen, by themselves, as a topping, mixed in, baked. You name it, you can eat it. How about some blueberry pancakes? https://youtu.be/PwzCpILiyus Or maybe some blueberry muffins https://youtu.be/bCwgW9HxLcg . Another great way to include blueberries is to make smoothies. If you're looking for a good blender this is the one I use. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0758JHZM3/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0758JHZM3&linkCode=as2&tag=tastyyethealt-20&linkId=abc5307917e5542d5dc910e86b5c61fa Its a VitaMix. I love it. You can see me use it in many of my YouTube videos.
Follow me on instagram Tasty.yet.Healthy (@tasty.yet.healthy) • Instagram photos and videos to see what I eat and get ideas on how to include blueberries into your diet.
So, are blueberries a superfood? I still think so!! Try to eat a rainbow of colors every day. Blueberries contain a large amount of anthocyanin pigments (making them blue/purple). This just equals more healthy benefits. Let me know your favorite way to eat blueberries.
Tracy
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