Blueberries, Superfood

Blueberries!

I'm sure you know the wonders of the superfood that is a blueberry. 

But just in case, here's a reminder. 

For something so small the brilliant blueberry packs a seriously big punch. They are a rich source of Vitamin C and various other antioxidants. The vitamin C in blueberries is thought to boost the immune system. 

They contain anthocyanins and other antioxidants such as resveratrol, flavonoids, tannins, and proanthocyanidins, which help prevent the growth of cancer cells. 

It's the English picking season for one of the tastiest foods, the blueberry. 

If the weather continues to be as sunny and warm as it has been recently, the UK blueberry season will continue to flourish until late September, or better still the first couple of weeks in to October. 

You can pick, or buy, lots of lovely English blueberries and freeze them, as they do not spoil or lose any of their health giving benefits during the freezing process.  

It's good to see shops selling English blueberries at reasonable prices, instead of expensive foreign imports, which are not only more expensive than our delicious homegrown blueberries, but they don't taste as good. 

Our blueberries are a prefect mix of sweet and sharp, with a firm pop-in-your-mouth texture. What's not to love?

Blueberries are a rich source of antioxidants and vitamin C. They are often referred to as the super fruit because of their high concentration of antioxidants.

They're also a rich source of phytonutrients and they contain the antioxidant anthocyanadins. Anthocyanins are the pigments that give many foods their blue, red, or purple colouring. Anthocyanins not only act as antioxidants and fight free radicals, they also offer anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-cancer benefits.

Eating blueberries regularly may help protect your body against heart disease, cancer, and age-related degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's. 

If possible, and you can afford to, eating organic blueberries is even better for your health as they reportedly have a greater amount of anthocyanin and phenolic antioxidants than non-organic blueberries. 

All of the above is just what I know, and have recently read about blueberries, not naming sources, or specific test studies etc. if you're that interested Google will tell you more than enough information to fill a book. ;)

Here's a list (in no particular order) of just 10 of the wonderful benefits of eating blueberries ~

1. Slow down the ageing process on nerve cells. 

2. Act as an anti-inflammatory. 

3. Lower blood pressure. 

4. Elevate your mood.

5. High in fibre. 

6. Rich in vitamin C. 

7. Rich source of manganese. 

8. Rich source of phytonutrients. 

9. Improve memory and motor skills. 

10. They taste good, and they're 'berry' good for you! 

If you're in England, specifically in the South, and fancy visiting a pick-your-own blueberry farm, I've read good things about Wimborne in Dorset. Fresh air, a bit of exercise, and lots of blueberries to eat, that sounds like a nice way to spend an hour or more. 

Whilst wandering up and down the fresh fruit and veg aisles in a supermarket recently I saw large punnets of blueberries for the bargain price of £1. I can't remember the weight, I was in too much of a rush to get home, wash the blueberries, and scoff them to notice. There were lots and lots of blueberries, although not for long - they were so good they vanished in a few minutes. Delicious! 

I could have used my blueberries in a recipe, they're great in smoothies, pancakes, muffins, salads, with roast meat, and many other things, but I prefer to eat them au natural. 

What's your favourite way to eat blueberries?