Blueberries have loads of amazing benefits!

When we think of healthy fruits, there are a couple of obvious ones that spring to mind, such as oranges. Blueberries definitely belong on this list as well, though. Up until recently, the blueberry was a bit of a forgotten fruit, but people are rediscovering it.

We’ll start adding these to our diet straight away!

Anthocyanin

Blueberries contain anthocyanin, which is what causes them to have their blue color. The anthocyanin also has a positive effect on your heart and blood vessels. The blue pigment can cause a reduction of accumulations of fats in your blood vessels. This benefits your blood flow.

Antioxidants

These berries also contain antioxidants, which play an important role in the aging process. Antioxidants are anti-inflammatory, lower cholesterol and protect you against several diseases, such as cancer. There are very few foods that contain more antioxidants than blueberries. Other fruits that also contain antioxidants are strawberries, plums, oranges, blue grapes and grapefruits. Vitamin C from fruit and vegetables is one of the most important antioxidants for the body.

Healthy diet

If you have a healthy diet, you’ll generally get enough antioxidants, but the amount of antioxidants can differ a lot between different fruits and vegetables. That’s why you should make sure there’s enough variation in your diet. That way, you’ll get all the antioxidants and nutrients you need.

Tips

The downside is that all of these berries’ healthy benefits are reduced quickly when you combine the berry with sugar. So, we wouldn’t recommend eating a lot of blueberry jam (even the ‘light’ version). It’s best to eat the berries shortly after you’ve bought them. Choose firm berries that have a silvery sheen. Don’t pick shriveled or overripe berries; these have already lost a lot of their healthy properties. Store them in the drawer of your refrigerator and don’t keep them for longer than five days.