THE BLUEBERRY – A HEALTHY LITTLE FRUIT

Recently, I have been writing a weekly post on a few of my favorite foods and why they are so good for you.  Check out:  I Am A Honey Lover, Sorghum – Sweet Southern Syrup and I’m Just Crazy About Nuts.

Today, my post is on one of the healthiest fruits you can eat, blueberries!  I absolutely love blueberries. I get them anywhere I can find them when they are in season and out of season.  You will always find blueberries in my fridge. I freeze them by spreading on cookie sheets or trays and once frozen place in freezer bags to use in recipes.  DO NOT WASH BEFORE FREEZING. Fresh blueberries will last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator and are best used within a year of freezing.  You can tell if they are fresh in the store by looking for a silvery-white sheen on the berry and they should be firm.  I like that you don’t have to peel them and they don’t have pits or hulls.

Blueberries are best for you raw.  They are great for a snack and only have 80 calories per cup.  Try them in cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, salads and yogurt.  Blueberries lose some of their nutritional value if used in cooked recipes but are still very nutritious.  They make great muffins, jams and jellies, breads, pies, pancakes, sauces and cakes. I love making blueberry sauce to serve over ice cream.

Blueberries are high in antioxidants, a good source of fiber, high in Vitamin K and Vitamin C and contain no fat.  Vitamin C is good for gum health and your immune system.  Vitamin K aids in circulation. Blueberries improve overall bodily function, may reduce the risk of infection, improve night vision, motor skills, reverse short-term memory loss in the aged, help keep cholesterol in check, improve glucose and insulin levels and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Here are a few facts about this healthy fruit:  The blueberry is the second most popular fruit with strawberries being number one.  National Blueberry Month is celebrated in July in the United States.  The state of Main produces more blueberries than any other state. The American Colonists made gray paint by boiling blueberries in milk. Robert Frost even wrote a poem called, “Blueberries”.

I feel like I can’t afford to not eat this delicious little blue fruit.

Are you a blueberry freak like me?  Do you enjoy this fruit in your diet?

Here is one of my favorite recipes using blueberries:  Fresh Blueberry Pudding Cake

Some good articles on blueberries:  Blueberries Nutrition, Nutrition and Health – Blueberry Nutrition, The World’s Healthiest Foods – Blueberries

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