There is nothing so delicious as a handful of fresh, perfectly plump blueberries. Their juicy goodness carries a powerful punch nutritionally, too. So by all means, indulge yourself!
There is a lot of great news about blueberries lately, and it also validates what many who choose organic have known instinctively all along.
The Benefits of Blueberries
Blueberries are Packed with Antioxidants
The first thing to know is that organic blueberries are significantly higher in antioxidants, and this has now been measured in a study which not only looked at total antioxidant counts but at the presence of specific antioxidants that account for the powerful health benefits of blueberries.
“Numerous specific antioxidant anthocyanins were measured in the study, including delphinidins, malvidins, and petunidins. The antioxidant flavonoid quercetin was also measured. “
So, grow them, pick them, or get them from local farmers and friends who grow them organically for best results.
How about Frozen Blueberries?
Second, blueberries don’t lose their great nutritional benefits when frozen. So get extras, and keep them in airtight containers in the freezer where you can pop out a handful for smoothies, pancakes, muffins or whatever way you love to enjoy them all winter long. Frozen blueberries will continue to pack their full nutritional potential for up to 6 months with no noticeable loss of nutrition.
Blueberries Improve Short Term Memory
Third, new studies show that consuming blueberries daily improves cognitive function and short term memory in elderly subjects; and may help prevent Alzheimer’s. WHFoods.com says this about the benefits of blueberries: In a study involving older adults (with an average age of 76 years), 12 weeks of daily blueberry consumption was enough to improve scores on two different tests of cognitive function including memory.
Improvement after only 12 weeks!
There is so much more, though…
By adding just three servings of blueberries (or Strawberries) young and middle aged women can reduce their risk of heart disease by 33%!
The polyphenols, and particularly anthocyanin in berries are proving effective in preventing cancer, improving circulation, inhibiting tumor growth, regulating and balancing blood pressure and a whole host of other great things.
How can you resist when they are so good and so good for you?
Leave A Comment