Health Matters: Blueberries

Every now and then, a great food comes along that not only tastes good but is good for you, too. Blueberries are sweet, juicy, cute, delicious, and they’re packed full of all sorts of amazing health benefits – like Vitamin C, fiber, calcium, and iron. And as far as getting antioxidant protection, you can’t do better than a serving of blueberries.

No matter how healthy you may be, molecules called free radicals are created in your body whenever cells turn oxygen into energy. And these molecules are out to destroy healthy cells. Given enough time and opportunity, free radicals cause all kinds of sickness – even heart disease and cancer. Luckily, nature provides a delicious antidote in blueberries.

Each little fruit contains the pigment, anthocyanin, which gives the berry its blue colour – kind of like dye you can eat. But anthocyanin is also a powerful antioxidant that hunts down and destroys free radicals. Scientists at the USDA-ARS Human Nutrition Center on Aging recently came up with a way to measure the total amount of antioxidants in foods. Blueberries scored near the top of their list. They discovered blueberries are so full of goodness that a half cup serving has the same amount of antioxidants as five servings of foods like peas, carrots, apples, squash, or broccoli.

“Blueberries provide a relatively concentrated source of antioxidants,” says Dr. Ronald L. Prior, one of the researchers. “With other fruits and vegetables, blueberries provide a way to increase antioxidant intake, which may have long term health benefits.”

You’ll find members of the blueberry family throughout Europe and Asia, including England where they grow a distant cousin called bilberries. But more than 40 varieties are also native to North America. Don’t confuse them with huckleberries, however, which look similar, but have large seeds.

Six Ways Blueberries Keep You Healthy

Puts the crunch on cancer. Cancer is often the end result of free radicals gone haywire. But you can short-circuit these killers with powerful antioxidants like the ones found in blueberries. Recent studies in Germany found foods high in antioxidants like anthocyanin seemed to protect people from cancer. The more of these types of antioxidants people ate, the less likely they were to develop cancer.

Beats heart disease. For years doctors have known free radicals attack your arteries, leaving them scarred and more easily clogged by fatty deposits. The longer this goes on, the higher your risk for heart attacks and strokes. But they also know certain antioxidants fight free radical damage and keep your blood from getting too sticky.

German researchers discovered people who ate the most antioxidant-rich foods, like blueberries, were the least likely to die of a heart attack. If heart disease runs in your family, blueberries, which help keep your arteries open and strong, could be one delicious way to protect yourself.

Stabilizes blood sugar. Blueberries are a favourite folk remedy for high blood sugar, but scientists only recently found their own proof. Animal studies in Italy showed blueberries lowered blood sugar levels by about 26 percent. Although diabetes is a serious illness that requires professional care, it certainly couldn’t hurt to sprinkle a handful of these healthy berries on your cereal or whip some into an energy-boosting smoothie. If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor about any changes in your diet.

Gives UTIs the slip. Researchers know E. coli bacteria cause a lot of urinary tract infections (UTIs). For years doctors thought the acid in certain fruits, especially cranberries, worked to get rid of UTIs by chasing away these bacteria. Now they know blueberries, like cranberries, contain antioxidants that actually change the structure of the bacteria – they become powerless to attach themselves to your cells and start multiplying. The secret to fewer UTIs: Eat more blueberries.

Keeps your mind sharp. Exciting new studies at Tufts University in Boston suggest blueberry extract may improve memory, coordination, and speed tests. You just might be able to reverse some of the symptoms of aging by adding blueberries to your daily menu.

Restores regularity. People in Sweden have used blueberries for hundreds of years as a cure for diarrhea. It may be blueberries counteract the bacteria causing diarrhea or it could be their soluble fiber keeps your bowels humming along regularly. A single cup of blueberries contains about 15 percent of your daily recommended intake of fiber. Just think, you might be able to throw away both your diarrhea and laxative medications simply by adding blueberries to your diet.

Look for plump, dark blueberries without any mold, and use or freeze them within five days. Since heating destroys some vitamins in the berry, it’s best to eat them uncooked. Freezing, however, does not affect the nutritional benefits. Don’t wash the berries before freezing, though, since they’ll end up clumping together. Toss some blueberries in your next fruit salad, in your morning muffins or pancakes, and enjoy.