We all know blueberries are an excellent source of antioxidants – in fact, most purple foods are incredibly rich in antioxidants.. but do you know about all of the other wonderful nutrients they also contain? The phytonutrients found in blueberries include anthocyanins (which give them their beautiful purple colour), flavonols, hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids. These all function as very powerful anti-inflammatories within the body. Blueberries are also very high in vitamin C & K, manganese, resveratrol, lutein, are a great source of fibre, as well as containing magnesium, zinc, potassium, calcium and phosphorous.
Blueberries can help with hypertension (high blood pressure), cholesterol, heart disease, protect against oxidization in the body to prevent DNA damage, improve cognitive function and help with memory loss, aid with symptoms of diabetes and stabilise blood sugar levels, support digestion, as well having anti-cancer properties. Berries should always be sourced organically, or at least spray free, as they tend to hold on to chemicals a lot more than many other foods. Or better still, grow your own! You can eat them fresh and on their own, in salads, on muesli, you can freeze them and add them to smoothies, or you can gently simmer them down and mix with chia seeds and a pinch of vanilla powder to make a beautiful, healthy blueberry chia jam!
