Have you ever eaten a blueberry? If not, then you're probably wondering why anyone would eat something so tart tasting. The truth is that blueberries have a delicious, unique flavor that no other fruit enjoys. If you've never tried blueberries, take a minute to consider the health benefits of blueberries.
Blueberries boast the highest of all-natural antioxidant intake of any fruit. Antioxidants work in many ways in your body, including promoting your immune system and boosting your cardiovascular system. Those found in blueberries, which include vitamin C, iron, anthocyanin, and copper, work with these to amplify your immune system so that you are better able to prevent infections from forming. Antioxidant support also plays a role in your brain health and mental clarity. The brain needs antioxidants to function properly and stay healthy. Blueberries are full of this essential brain nutrition.
What's so great about blueberries? They are loaded with anti-inflammatory nutrients and have low levels of dietary fiber. Fiber is important because it softens our stools and makes us go to the bathroom at a normal rate. Low levels of fiber can lead to constipation and regular trips to the bathroom, which can lead to bad breath.
Another one of the main health benefits of blueberries is their high concentration of potassium. Potassium is used for many different functions in your body including regulating muscle movement and keeping fluid levels in the body. Without enough potassium, our muscles tire quickly and we become tired. However, a small serving of blueberry contains more than twice the amount of potassium that is found in an orange.
There are many other health benefits of blueberries but one of the best known is how they affect your cholesterol. High cholesterol levels are common among people who are overweight. One of the ways that blueberries help control cholesterol is by increasing the amount of good cholesterol in the body. Good cholesterol is needed for the production of cell membranes and hormones. Blueberries contain a special type of polyphenol that prevents cholesterol from being converted into a plaque that can build up and attach to arteries. This plaque then causes hardening of the arteries, which leads to hardening of the heart arteries and heart attacks and strokes.
The antioxidants in blueberries also help prevent free radical damage. Free radicals are produced in the body when free electrons are missing from cells. The antioxidants in blueberries prevent these free radicals from damaging healthy cells. The health benefits of superfruit are the antioxidants found in strawberries and red grapes, which cannot be found in any other kind of fruit.
While the health benefits of blueberries could be partially explained by the presence of polyphenols, it could also be because of the lack of this ingredient in the typical blueberry. The reason this ingredient is lacking is that wild blueberries are almost never planted in farms. They grow wild in the mountains of New Zealand. The lack of planting caused the blueberries to develop very little of the antioxidant content they contain.
It is possible that the lack of planting and exposure to farming chemicals is the most important reason why blueberries have so few health benefits. Other than the antioxidants, blueberries are also low in sugar and have a low glycemic index. This means that they will not cause blood sugar to rise quickly. This makes blueberries a great snack choice. They can also be enjoyed alone with a good muffin or cake. For a treat, you could try blueberry bread pudding or blueberry pancakes.
Another reason the health benefits of blueberries are so great is because of all the calories they contain. A single serving of the berry contains just 33 calories, which is six percent of your daily recommended allowance. That is a pretty small portion but if you add it up over a day the total can add up to a lot. Some other healthy foods with low calories include prunes, grapes, almonds, peaches and prune juice.
Unlike some other fruits, blueberries are a good source of some other vitamins as well. Two out of the three vitamin c is found in the berry. In addition to those two vitamins, blueberries also contain healthy amounts of potassium, folic acid and iron. With all of these vitamins and minerals around the body, it is no wonder that blueberries are becoming a very popular fruit for adding to your diet. Although the lack of planting makes it hard to grow blueberries in every grocery store, the Internet offers a wide variety and cost-effective supply.
As you can see there are many great reasons to add blueberries to your diet. They are loaded with nutrients, have no negative side effects and improve your health. So make the jump and add blueberries to your menu today. You'll be glad you did. Remember that nutrition is key to staying young and feeling good. So start eating healthy foods and you'll be amazed at how much better you feel.
