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5 reasons why blueberries are an uber-fruit

Delicate, aromatic, and intensely colored, blueberries are always given as an example of super-food. However, recent studies have shown that the positive impact of blueberries on our health propel them at a superior level.

Do you feel the need forsomething good”? I know that feeling… Maybe you’ll satisfy your need with a random snack, but if you seek something truly “good” (and not just taste-friendly), then blueberries are the answer. They contain 85% water, merely 57 Kcal/100g, and they are low in carbohydrates yet extremely high in fiber and especially antioxidants, ranking among the most important foods when it comes to the latter. We need antioxidants like we need air, as they protect our body from free radicals – invisible enemies that contribute to aging and vicious diseases.

The antioxidants in blueberries – known as flavonoids – are part of the polyphenols family, and they are vegetal pigments that are responsible for the color of certain fruits, leaves, and vegetables. The more colorful they are – spinach, beetroot, tomatoes, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, as well as those fruits and vegetables with extremely colorful skin, such as cucumbers and citrus – the higher the number of flavonoids. Before you say that all of this is relative, you should know that the human body responds to flavonoid deficiency – or vitamin P deficiency (a less popular vitamin, P was discovered in 1936 by Nobel Prize winner Albert Szent-Gyorgyi); the symptoms are similar to the vitamin C deficiency ones (vascular fragility, mouth bleeding, dental problems, fatigue, irritability). In fact, these two vitamins work concurrently to combat cell oxidation. Flavonoids also protect vitamin C from oxidation and ensure better absorption.

Studies conducted throughout the almost 100 years since blueberries were documented revealed numerous positive health effects:

• 20% reduction in the process of DNA damage,
• 27% reduction in bad cholesterol “LDL” levels,
• lower blood pressure and risk reduction of heart disease,
• maintaining brain functions and preventing cognitive decline (dementia),
• improving memory,
• combating diabetes (due to the anthocyanins in blueberries),
• preventing premature skin aging.

Coincidentally (or not!), the scientific name of blueberries is “Vaccinium” and their role when it comes to improving immunity has been repeatedly scientifically proven (according to experts, blueberries would rank first among fruits that can stimulate immunity). We don’t even need to consume large quantities; a handful of fresh blueberries a day, or a spoonful of freeze-dried blueberries, or, why not, wine made from this super-fruit may be the key to health and longevity.

While we’re on the topic of wine, according to a study conducted by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, one of the few joys with benefits is that wine made from blueberries can provide healthier compounds than white wines and multiple red wines can, since the higher number of antioxidants in blueberries is fully assimilated throughout the transformation of fruits into wine, through the fermentation process. Let’s drink to that!

Find out how to store blueberries here.