Blueberries

SPOTLIGHT: BLUEBERRIES

Fun Food Facts: "For centuries, blueberries were gathered from the forests and the bogs by Native Americans and consumed fresh and also preserved. Parts of the blueberry plant were also used as medicine. A tea made from the leaves of the plant was thought to be good for the blood. Blueberry juice was used to treat coughs. The juice also made an excellent dye for baskets and cloth. In food preparation, dried blueberries were added to stews, soups and meats. The dried berries were also crushed into a powder and rubbed into meat for flavor. Blueberries were also used for medicinal purposes along with the leaves and roots." www.blueberry.org

Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits. As in walnuts, blueberries are terrific brain food. As Dr James Joseph, lead scientist in the Laboratory of Neuroscience at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center would say," it’s what we want to eat to keep our marbles intact as we grow older". The polyphenols in blueberries are the main compound known to get one neuron to talk to another more efficiently, and actually enable the brain to grow news neurons. Blueberries also have powerful compounds like anthocyanins, which are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. We know that inflammation and oxidative stress plays a key role in almost every major killer disease, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. It has been reported in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, that pterostilbene, a beneficial compound found in blueberries, was superior to both resveratrol (the anti-aging compound found in grapes) and the prescription drug Ciprofibrate. It regulates fatty acid metabolism and fats in the blood, and it helps prevent the deposition of plaque in the arteries. Are blueberries a nutritional powerhouse? Definitely. Just a ½ a cup a day will give you amazing health benefits. I put a ½ cup in my yogurt. For a real treat, mix vanilla frozen yogurt, blueberries, pecans and graham cracker crumbs. Wow!