Health Benefits of Blueberries & Why You Need To Eat More
Blueberries are delicious, versatile and extremely healthy. They are often labeled as a superfood due to their amazing disease-fighting properties. Low in calories and packed full of essential nutrients, fresh Australian Blueberries are a great way to skip out on highly processed foods but still enjoy the sweet tastes of nature.
Fun Fact: Fresh Australian Blueberries can take as little as 24 hours to arrive at your supermarket aisle from the bush they grew on! Yay for Australian Blueberries!
Health Benefits of Blueberries
Blueberries are berry, berry good for you!
Some of the amazing nutrients found in blueberries include:
- Vitamin C – just one cup of fresh blueberries contains 25% of the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed by our bodies for the for the formation of connective tissues including our bones, blood vessels and skin and it also helps the absorption of non-haem iron from our foods. The vitamin C also works synergistically with anthocyanidins, copper and other nutrients in blueberries to produce collagen which helps keep our skin looking young.
- Vitamin K – one cup of blueberries contains 35% of the RDI of Vitamin K; a fat soluble vitamin needed for the healthy clotting of our blood. Together with other nutrients found in blueberries including iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, manganese and zinc, vitamin K also works to keep our bones healthy.
- Natural Source of Prebiotics - blueberries contain fibre which acts as natural prebiotics to help feed the good bacteria that live in our gut! This helps keep our gut healthy, making fresh blueberries beneficial for good gut health and digestion.
Blueberries are also packed full of antioxidants, which help protect the cells in our body from free radical damage. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that have been associated with cancers, heart disease and the effects of ageing. Antioxidants come to the rescue by neutralising the free radicals which prevents damage to our cells and protect us from a range of diseases and illnesses.
While we know we need a variety of fruits and vegetables, blueberries definitely top the list with one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any fruit and vegetable.
New Health Research about Blueberries
There has also been some exciting new health research into the benefits of blueberries, which has found:
- Blueberries are good for your heart – blueberries contain powerful antioxidants like anthocyanins that help to counter the build-up of arterial plaque in our arteries, improve cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular health. In a recent study looking at cardiometabolic function in those with metabolic syndrome, it was found that consuming 1 cup of fresh blueberries per day can improve vascular function and lipid status, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease risk by up to 15%!
Heart disease is Australia’s number one killer, so by simply consuming 1 cup of fresh Blueberries each day, Aussie’s could receive sustained improvements in heart health and lower their risk of cardiovascular disease! - Blueberries are brilliant brain boosters – blueberries contain neuro-protectors that may help protect our brains from degeneration, neurotoxicity and oxidative stress. A recent study looking at children who consumed a blueberry drink which is equivalent to 1½ cups of fresh blueberries, found acute cognitive benefits in children, including significant improvements in memory and attention aspects. These findings support the growing body of evidence that fresh blueberries are beneficial for healthy brain function.
Eating More Blueberries
Whether you’re a big family, a busy professional or a hardworking student, fresh Australian Blueberries are the perfect fruit for you, bursting with health benefits! They are convenient, versatile and tasty!
Here are 9 easy ways you can add fresh Australian Blueberries into your every day and reap their health benefits:
1. Add a handful to your morning cereal, breakfast smoothie, yoghurt, porridge or pancakes.
2. Pop a small container of blueberries into your bag so you can snack on them when you’re out shopping, driving to work, on the train, in a meeting or picking up the kids from school.
3. Toss a handful of blueberries through your salad for a delicious, healthy sweetness.
4. Mix blueberries into your home made muffins, cakes, slices, muesli bars or any homemade snacks.
5. Make blueberries into a homemade jam perfect for for kids’ toast and sandwiches.
6. Add blueberries on top of your ice-cream, crumbles or yoghurt at dessert.
7. Serve blueberries when entertaining as an appetiser or on a grazing platter.
8. Add blueberries to your fruit salads.
9. Freeze fresh blueberries in ice-cube trays and pop them in your water for a refreshing drink.
10. Simply snack on a punnet of fresh Australian Blueberries!
Editor’s Note: This post is proudly sponsored by Australian Blueberries. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way. For more information, visit http://www.australianblueberries.com.au/
