Camposol Cares from Farm to Family

5 Surprising Benefits of Blueberries

Posted On: January 15, 2018

A new year has begun and we’re all looking to get a fresh and positive start, whether that’s doing better for ourselves and for those in our community – or both. Incorporating plenty of fruits and vegetables into our daily diet and that of our family’s is a ‘healthy’ choice. Or so our parents once told us, and now so do daily nutritional reports and hourly photos from healthy-lifestyle bloggers. But what really makes blueberries so great for our bodies, and how can they promote an overall healthier lifestyle and planet? Check out these five surprising benefits of our favorite blues and get inspired for a better (and bluer!) new year.

1. Build a Strong Defense
During the chilly winter months, it’s vital to defend your body from risks of catching a cold or the flu. So, how can we prevent the need to buy over the counter medicines this season? By nourishing our bodies with just the right natural elements to build up our immune system! Blending up plenty of fruits and vegetables for a morning or afternoon smoothie is a sure way to fuel your body with powerful vitamins and minerals. Try a mix of blueberries, orange juice (both for Vitamin C), spinach (Vitamin A and iron) and cashews (for healthy fats and zinc). While the immune system itself is complex, fighting off a cold has never been easier (or more delicious)!

 

 

2. Keep the Blues at Bay
Are you an emotional eater? For those of us who are, we often choose the unhealthiest options in an attempt to soothe our negative moods. “A recent study” however has found that consumption of flavonoids (plant chemicals) would be a more beneficial choice as they may help prevent depression. We already know that blueberries are “rich in flavonoids”, as evidenced by their deep color of skin, so it’s not surprising that researchers at the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences of the University of Reading (UK) used blueberry smoothies to track the moods of participants. They found that flavonoids have a positive effect on executive function, which allows us to monitor our behavior and other cognitive functions. While it’s just one study, fighting the blues with blueberries is a pretty delicious solution!

 

 

3. Slow Signs of Aging
While blueberries can boost your mood, they can also boost overall brain health. Studies, like the one mentioned above, have shown that consistent consumption (one serving, at least a few times a week) of the small berries can slow cognitive decline. In other words, blueberries can promote the longevity of executive functions such as memory and attention. And flavonoids are once again credited. As an antioxidant, flavonoids can fight off inflammation and oxidation which otherwise would speed up the aging process of brain cells. And though more research needs to be done before it becomes an accepted fact that blueberries slow down cognitive decline, it certainly doesn’t hurt to incorporate them more often in our smoothies, salads, and even desserts.

 

 

4. Promote the Buzz of Bees
Did you know that our fields in Trujillo, Peru are equipped with a small apiary? Though the collection of beehives may be modest, we truly believe that every step towards promoting a healthy population of these winged workers counts. By planting blueberries, we are providing our apiary as well as the natural population of bees with a source of nectar and pollen. Luckily for us, the bees do double duty by pollinating our robust berry bushes. For some time it’s been common knowledge that the population of bees is declining, which is why we care about nurturing these small creatures that are so integral to not only our process, but the circle of life on our planet.

 

 

5. Low-sugar Sweetness
Are you watching your weight, your waistline, or maybe just wanting to cut back on artificial and natural sugars? It may not be surprising that blueberries are a low-calorie snack (1 cup has less than 90 calories), but did you know that these bite-size blues have a comparatively low level of sugar? As health becomes an increasingly popular topic of concern, so has the Glycemic Index (GI). Once just a tool for diabetics to measure if a certain food would raise their blood sugar levels, the GI is now often referenced by health nuts and active foodies. On a scale from 0 to 100, foods are ranked according to their carbohydrate content and the effect that this component will have on blood sugar levels. While they are sweet additions to our morning cereal and afternoon muffin, blueberries actually have a low GI ranking of 40.

 

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