Blueberries are in season! These little gems are beautifully colored thanks to an antioxidant called anthocyanins, and are packed with many nutrients. They are versatile and easy to pick up from the grocery store or from the local Farmer’s Market.
Fun Facts:
• Blueberries are one of the few fruits native to North America. People have been eating blueberries for more than 13,000 years!
• Native tribes used blueberries for many medicinal purposes such as a tea made from the leaves that was thought to be good for the blood and blueberry juice was used to treat coughs.
• The blueberry plant is a perennial flowering shrub that grows in clusters. One blueberry bush can produce as many as 6,000 blueberries each year.
Blueberry Nutrition
Blueberries are known as a “superfood” because of the multiple health benefits they bring to the table. They are packed with nutrients, low in calories, and high in fiber. One cup of blueberries has only 84 calories. They are a rich source of vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, folate, potassium, copper, and manganese.
Blueberries can help heal damaged brain cells and neuron tissues to keep your memory sharp because of the amount of antioxidants they contain. These antioxidants help balance the number of free radicals in the body to counteract oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been shown to quicken the aging process of your brain and negatively affect brain function. The antioxidants in blueberries have been found to slow memory impairments and motor coordination that are typically associated with this aging process.
Eating blueberries can also help increase blood flow to key areas of the brain. This can help improve memory and attention to required tasks. There may also be a connection of this increased blood flow to prevention against vascular dementia.
Blueberries may also help lower your cholesterol and protect your heart. Their high fiber content and high antioxidant content may help dissolve the LDL (bad) cholesterol in your system, helping to prevent heart disease. The potassium, calcium, and magnesium in the berries also help reduce blood pressure.
Blueberries can be eaten fresh or frozen, both are great sources of nutrients. Use them in smoothies, oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, or as a great snack on their own.
Be sure to add plenty of blueberries to your diet, especially when they are in season!
Source: Beneficial Bites for Brain Health
