Blueberries: Delicious and Healthy
OK, I’m going to go a little wild and say that if you could only make one dietary change in your life, this should definitely be it! Yes, those tiny little blue balls of pure nutrition should be included in your diet every single day. During the spring and summer months they are great fresh. Out of season, you can easily find them frozen or dried. Not only are they delicious, but they are fantastic for your health. When you find out about all of their amazing benefits, you may want to throw them into your mouth by handfuls asap! (Yes, I have definitely done this many times!). One side note: berries are heavily treated with pesticides so choose organic ones if you can.
10 great reasons why you need to eat blueberries regularly:
1. You can lower your blood pressure with blueberries.
New research published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics shows how eating blueberries every day can actually lower your blood pressure and reduce “arterial stiffness”. Researchers studied 48 post-menopausal women (a group particularly prone to high blood pressure). Half ate the equivalent of one cup of fresh blueberries every day while the others ate a placebo. After just 8 weeks, the women who ate blueberries had significantly lowered their blood pressure. Those on the placebo had no change.
2. Eating berries can cut risk of heart attacks by one-third.
According to a study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association eating at least three servings of blueberries and strawberries every week can save women from heart attacks. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of East Anglia reviewed the berry-eating habits of 93,600 women between the ages of 25 and 42 over 18 years and concluded that women who ate three or more servings of blueberries and strawberries per week reduced their risk of heart attack by as much as one-third.
3. Wild blueberries and vascular health.
Wild blueberries are particularly potent. They are smaller than the ones you most often find in the supermarket, with about twice the number of berries per pound. They are easiest to find frozen (unless you’re lucky enough to be in Maine in August). A study from Florida State University found that a daily serving of wild blueberries could be key to fighting cardiovascular disease in women. In another study, researchers found that less than a cup of wild blueberries can have an almost immediate and long-lasting effect on how well your vascular system is circulating blood. The more easily blood flows through your arteries and veins, the less your heart has to work. Wild blue smoothie anyone?
4. Blueberries can keep your skin younger looking longer.
Both vitamins A and C are abundant in organic wild blueberries and help support healthy collagen, your skin's support structure. Eating foods rich in these nutrients can help slow the development of wrinkles, sagging, dark circles and age spots. The water in these berries keeps skin hydrated, bouncy and young looking.
5. Help prevent cancer with blueberries.
In cell studies, blueberry extract decreased the free radical damage to DNA that can lead to cancer. A study in the journal Nutrition Research found that with daily blueberry intake, there was an increase in the natural killer (NK) cells that patrol the body for abnormal cells and destroy them before they can develop into cancer.
6. Blueberries can protect your lungs.
The anthocyanins (powerful antioxidants) in blueberries can protect your lungs as you get older, as shown in the VA Normative Aging Study. Over 16 years, men who ate two or more servings of blueberries a week had up to 37.9 percent less decline in their lung function compared to those who ate none.
7. Berries Improve Insulin Sensitivity.
A clinical study in The Journal of Nutrition found that the bioactive compounds found in blueberries improve insulin sensitivity. In another randomized controlled study from Oklahoma State University, 48 people consumed either a freeze-dried blueberry beverage or a placebo drink once a day. The freeze-dried drink was equivalent to about 350 grams (3.5 cups) of fresh blueberries. After eight weeks researchers found that the blueberries improved measures of metabolic syndrome.
8. Blueberries Keep Your Brain Young.
A study in the Annals of Neurology found that the antioxidants (anthocyanins) in blueberries can slow brain aging by up to 2.5 years. It works for young people, too. In a crossover study in the journal Nutrition, 14 children aged 8 to 10 years old consumed a blueberry drink or placebo. Two hours later they completed a battery of five cognitive tests. The blueberry drink significantly improved delayed recall of a list of words.
9. They are tough as nails!
Preserving them doesn’t hurt their nutritional power. Stock up on them now and freeze them for later—they’ll keep for months. Easy to prep for the freezer, too.
10. No fancy prep needed.
Just rinse, dump into a bowl and gobble them up. No peeling, chopping and discarding the waste!
Making one simple change to your diet by adding blueberries could have a significant impact on cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, and brain power.
So, what are you waiting for? Eat some today!!
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