Have you heard all the buzz about blueberries? Not only are they a delicious snack, but they are a powerful superfood. Packed with antioxidants, anthocyanins, and polyphenol (yes, super big words and I’ll get back to that!), these babies are shown to provide benefits for reducing cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and neurodegeneration, can improve vision, and have anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, anti-obesity, and anti-inflammatory benefits. Can you say superfood?? I’m impressed! And encouraged to start getting more blueberries into my diet, which is currently lacking in nutritional value as a whole, and heavy in the area of coffee… Not my proudest habit, but a habit nonetheless, and as I’m sure you know, bad habits are hard to break! So, if you have a bad food habit, take heart, you’re in good company here!
Back to those big words I mentioned above. First, anthocyanins; these are naturally occurring plant compounds that make up the red, blue, and purple pigments found in our food. Think about all those delicious, colorful foods - all sorts of berries, pomegranates, tomatoes, red onions, grapes, and red kidney beans to name a few, that have amazing anti-inflammatory properties (Wong, 2020). Polyphenols are a family of organic compounds found in plants that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. There’s that word again, antioxidants. I’m sure you probably hear this word a lot, but what does it actually mean? These are compounds that prevent oxidation, a process that leads to free radicals. Free radicals are unpaired atoms that becomes highly reactive and unstable, which, inside of a human cell, can cause massive damage. Free radicals have the potential to damage/alter a cell’s DNA, proteins, carbohydrates and/or lipids. Oxidation and free radicals, when left unchecked, can lead to illness and aging (Lobo, et al., 2010). So, in a nutshell, all these fancy-named compounds found inside of blueberries work together to keep our cells from injury, and promote health. Let’s dig into some of these health benefits a little more, shall we?
Cancer
Cancer. This word is just the worst, isn’t it? It’s now the prediction that 40% of people will have some sort of cancer in their lifetime. Not good odds. Cancer is a disease that takes over our cells and causes them to replicate more frequently than they’re supposed to. Cancerous tumors can even form new blood vessels which further contribute to their growth, a process known as angiogenesis. The good news, though, is that blueberries have properties that protect against this process, help regulate cell replication, and are known to decrease tumor growth and help prevent cancer recurrence, isn’t that so cool? I’m totally going to plant blueberries bushes in my garden this spring, and then pump them into my children and my husband!
Cardiovascular Disease
Not any better than cancer, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Preve
ntion said that in 2017, almost 300,000 women died of heart disease, a ratio of about 1 in 5 deaths. Blueberries are shown to lower systolic blood pressure (the top number), and decrease triglycerides, LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol), and platelet aggregation, which all contribute to blood clots, including heart attacks and strokes. The properties of blueberries have even been been shown to restore cardiac tissue that has been effected by a heart attack, which is pretty amazing!
Diabetes
Evidence shows benefits of blueberry supplementation in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. A dietary regime of blueberries has been shown to prevent glucose intolerance, increase insulin sensitivity and lessen vascular complications associated with diabetes, which are unfortunately too common. Insulin resistance is a major component of PCOS, one of the leading causes of infertility. Research shows that high blood sugar and insulin resistance can extend the time it takes for a woman to conceive, as well as increase the chance of miscarriage.
Brain Health
Some evidence from research has shown that blueberry supplementation has the potential of increasing memory and cognition, as well as having neuro-protective effects on the brain, making it a topic of study for the prevention of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Inflammation
Polyphenols in blueberries are known to have amazing anti-inflammatory properties, as mentioned above, and have been the topic of study in the treatment of many inflammatory processes, such as osteoarthritis. A recent study found that patients with osteoarthritis who consumed 40g of freeze-dried whole blueberry powder daily for 4 months reported less pain, stiffness, and difficulty performing daily activities.
Though the research is promising, the amount of dietary intake is up for debate, as well as the exact form - fresh, frozen, wild, homegrown, powdered, etc. Some studies looked at the benefits of about one cup of blueberries per day, while others saw health benefits at just one cup per week. As research continues to emerge, my encouragement to you would be to aim for one cup of blueberries 2 or 3 times per week, in a way you enjoy them, and in a form you can afford them. My go to is frozen, organic blueberries, as I like the taste and price better. Either way, these amazing berries will promote great overall health and will add color and flavor to your life when you bring them into your weekly diet routine.
Recipes
What kind of a friend would I be if I didn’t share some delicious recipes with you to help you get more of these amazing berries into your diet?
First, my favorite smoothie! Grab a cup of your favorite milk (I prefer oat milk in this one), a big handful or two of kale or spinach (I keep mine frozen), half of a frozen banana, a cup of fresh or frozen blueberries, a tablespoon of almond butter, and a tablespoon of hemp seed hearts if you have them on hand. Puree all ingredients together in your blender until smooth, and go sip in the sun, because, of course, in the sun is the best place to sip a smoothie : )
*If you freeze your bananas, I highly recommend peeling them before you freeze them, otherwise they are quite the pain!
Next, summer salad. I don’t have good measurements for you on this one, sorry! Fill a salad bowl full of baby spinach, add a cup of fresh blueberries, a handful of sliced almonds or candied walnuts, and top with feta crumbles. Serve with a fruity dressing, such as a raspberry vinaigrette to add a little tang, and enjoy!
Last, but certainly not least, blueberry overnight oats for a ready-to-go breakfast option. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of your favorite oats, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of blueberries, a tablespoon of honey or your favorite sweetener, and a dash of cinnamon. You can also add a tablespoon of chia seeds or almonds. Stir until combined, pour into a container or mason jar with a lid, and place in your refrigerator overnight. In the morning, give your oats a quick stir and top with fresh blueberries and crunchy granola for a great morning pick-me-up!
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