The Magic of Blueberries – Sweet, Juicy and Good for your Health

Author: Leslie Gilmour

| Posted: 23-10-2007 | Comments: 0 | Views: 15 | Rating: (53)

(?)

Related Videos

Play

How To Prune Blueberry Bushes

Dave shows you how to prune your blueberry bushes so that you...

Play

Super Foods: All about Blueberries

Free radicals don't stand a chance when blueberries are around!...

Play

March Gardener's Calendar

Dave lists the gardening tasks you can perform in March to prepare...

Blueberry muffins, blueberry cream pies, blueberry cheesecake, blueberry pancake, fresh moist blueberries....just reading the words is enough to evoke that summer-sweet, luscious tang and get your mouth watering.

Everyone knows blueberries are delicious, but did you know they're good for your health too? In fact, blueberries have been touted as the cure for a host of serious medical problems including urinary infections, diabetes, high cholesterol levels to Alzheimer's and cancer.

First let's look at what exactly blueberries are. Blueberries are the fruit of flowering plants native to North America, now also grown in Australia, New Zealand and some South American countries such as Chile and Argentina. Blueberries are cultivated and picked wild.

The blueberry season in North America tends to run from mid-May to September,depending on the latitude. The fruit is best enjoyed in season when the taste is at its peak and the nutritional value at its highest. The dark blue berries can be enjoyed raw, or more commonly made into cookies, cakes, pies, scones, cereals, jellies and jams, and even pizzas.

So what's so special about blueberries?

It could be said that the blueberry is a nutritional powerhouse. Blueberries are are a rich source of vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, folate, iron, manganese and vitamin K. And 140 grams of fresh blueberries contain three grams of the dietary fiber that's so good for your digestive system. But the main benefits of blueberries come from the anti-oxidants they contain in the form of bioflavonoids.

Antioxidants are important for their ability to neutralize free radicals. When our body processes oxygen, free radicals are produced as by-products. These are highly-volatile substances that can damage our cells and are thought to be responsible for aging and a host of degenerative diseases. Fortunately, substances known as anti-oxidants found in fruits and vegetables work to neutralize free radicals and reduce their potency. Better known bioflavonoids include hesperidin and rutin and the anthocyanins.

Blueberries are especially rich in anthocyanins. They give blueberries their deep blue hue and offer a range of beneficial properties. For one thing, they're anti-inflammatory and protect large and small blood vessels from oxidative damage. This can protect blood vessels from damage caused by high blood-sugar levels in diabetics. This is especially important for the blood vessels in the eyes.

Researchers have shown that the anthocyanins in blueberries, along with other agents such as proanthocyanidins, flavonols and tannins, inhibit mechanisms of cancer cell development in vitro. And one of the more exciting findings about blueberries is that they can help arrest the mental decline that occurs with Alzheimer's Disease.

So what's the best way to get your dose of blueberries? Eating them raw is best but this is not always convenient. Fortunately, there are many ways to prepare blueberries that helps bring out their delightful flavor to its best advantage. The most popular is you can also make the old fashioned Blueberry pie just like your grandma used to make. The herbs cinnamon and mace compliment the taste of the blueberries and the result is delightful. It's just one of many ways to incorporate blueberries into your diet.

So make blueberries a part of your diet. Not only will you have a delicious new taste in your life, but you'll also be doing your health a world of good. Search out some Blueberry recipes online that show you new and exciting ways to incorporate the blueberry experience into you life.

Rate this Article:

Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).

Article Tags: Recipes, Cooking, Blueberries, Blueberry Recipes, Blueberry Pie

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/the-magic-of-blueberries-sweet-juicy-and-good-for-your-health-244049.html

Print article

Send to friend

Publish this Article

Author feedback

About the Author:

Leslie Gilmour Cooks and writes about various dishes for various web sites.
Like Blueberry recipes

Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free!

Article Comments

Add new Comment

Bundt Cake Baking Tips
By: Leona H | 19/11/2006 | Hobbies
Hobby related articles - get free hobbies content for your web sites.

How To Pick Up The Right Dish To Prepare
By: Jon Caldwell | 27/11/2007 | Cooking Tips

What is Nouvelle Cuisine?
By: Sudhir | 04/01/2008 | Food and Beverage

Easing Coughs Naturally
By: G.Entp7 | 04/03/2008 | Recipes

Szechwan Cuisine
By: G.Entp8 | 12/03/2008 | Food and Beverage

Cowboy Themed Parties Ring in Fall With a Yee-haw
By: Manbeer Singh | 13/03/2008 | Recipes

By: | 31/12/1969 |

Regional Cuisine – New England Clam Chowder
By: Sonia Sood | 20/03/2008 | Cooking Tips

Got a Question? Ask.

Ask the community a question about this article:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does anyone out there remember the sour pickles we ...
By: Rock | 02-11-2007
Does anyone out there remember the sour pickles we used to buy in appetizing stores? The store owner pulled out the most delicious pickles from a wooden barrel. Why were they so much better than the canned pickles we buy today? What different ingredients did they use?

sugar free honey or juices
By: din | 02-11-2007
Does sugar free honey or juices mean that their glucose has been replaced with chemical sugar alcohols and therefore their nutrition values have been reduced greatly?

What's the best way to remove cooking oil stains?
By: aviche | 31-10-2007
What's the best way to remove cooking oil stains?

Microwave cooking
By: malabindra | 31-10-2007
What is the easiest way to convert recipes from regular baking to microwave? And how does cream work as one of the ingredients?

Blueberry yogurt muffin recipe!
By: JenniferL | 30-10-2007
Help! I need a recipe for blueberry yogurt muffins made from scratch! (I had them in NY last year and I love them!)

Healthy foods for a soccer tournament.
By: newsoccermom | 29-10-2007
What should I feed my child before, and inbetween games at a soccer tournament?

Q&A Powered by:

Latest Nutrition Articles

Eating Tips For Burning Fat And Successfully Losing Weight Healthily
By: Jennifer King | 11/10/2008
Losing weight requires more than just cuting down on calories. When to eat is very important.

Smart Hunger Management
By: Lauren B. Wallace | 10/10/2008
Hunger management is the key to weight loss control. If you have the power to decide what you should eat, how much you should eat and how often you should eat, you are on your way to a leaner and healthier body. A lot of people in today’s society have problems when it comes down to choosing the healthiest foods and the best portion sizes.

How to Stop Emotional and Social Eating Triggers
By: Lauren B. Wallace | 10/10/2008
Contrary to our belief, there are many people out there who suffer from social and emotional eating problems. Some people are eager to eat when they are around others while other people eat to relieve the tension of everyday life. However, no matter what the reason may be, emotional overeating can lead to significant weight gain as well as other health problems. But there are certain steps we can take in order to ensure that our emotional trigger habits are not as threatening to our weight and our health.

Why is Breakfast the Most Important Meal of the Day?
By: Lauren B. Wallace | 10/10/2008
I’m sure everyone has heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This has been the motto for many years, yet there are still certain people out there who don’t quite understand the importance of this morning meal. Failing to eat breakfast can rob us of our daily energy as well as other beneficial factors.

Manage Your Cravings and Lose Weight
By: Susan Patterson | 10/10/2008
Cravings can be difficult. Learning where they come from may help you resist them. Other tips for managing cravings are included.

Best Weight Loss Plans: 5 Things That'll Help You Choose
By: James O'Day | 09/10/2008
5 things that all the best diet plans have in common: all you need to know to make the best choice for reaching your weight loss goals.

Sound Weight Loss Plans: 5 Things You Should Know Before Starting a New Diet
By: James O'Day | 09/10/2008
5 tips every sound diet plan will have. Make sure you know these before starting a new weight loss plan.

Eat More to Lose Weight - 5 Things You Need to Know Before Dieting
By: James O'Day | 09/10/2008
Tired of starvation diets? Turns out it does more harm than good when you eat too much less... 5 tips on how eating a bit more can actually help you lose weight faster.

More from Leslie Gilmour

How to Use the Internet to Move your Irish Business Into the Fast Lane
By: Leslie Gilmour | 24/01/2008 | Internet Marketing
For small Irish businesses, success is becoming increasingly dependent on having web presence. This is true if you’re dealing with local as well as international customers. However, just having a quality website with quality content is not enough.

Reiki Healing: Using the Power of Human Touch
By: Leslie Gilmour | 24/01/2008 | Wellness
When our daily lives become stressful, this is a sign our energies are not balanced. Reiki healing therapy aims to bring our energies into balance and bring health and well-being to our emotional, physical and spiritual systems.

Vat Refund: Why you Should Get Professional Help to Reclaim Vat
By: Leslie Gilmour | 15/01/2008 | Taxes
Large amounts of value added tax (VAT) on purchases made in Europe go unclaimed by companies each year. The main reason is that many companies are unaware they can reclaim VAT on purchases made outside their own countries.

Your Travel Guide to the Czech Republic and Prague
By: Leslie Gilmour | 24/10/2007 | Travel Tips
At the heart of central Europe, with a millennium of history, glorious countryside and a dynamic capital city, the Czech republic offers the visitor an unique experience. Here's your complete guide about the Czech Republic and Prague.

Article Categories

Article Marketing

Article Notepad

Stop Duplicate Content

Term Papers

Need Help?

Sign up for our email newsletter

Receive updates, enter your email below

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.20, 17)

The Magic of Blueberries – Sweet, Juicy and Good for your Health

Article Comments

Related Articles

Got a Question? Ask.

Latest Nutrition Articles

More from Leslie Gilmour

Need Help?

Site Links

Webmasters

Business Info

Sign up for our email newsletter