20 Health Benefits Of Blueberries

Blueberries are small juicy fruits packed with nutrition. If you have never eaten a blueberry, it’s time that you start. They have also been labeled as a super food because of the many health benefits they offer. Everyone loves blueberries, they are juicy and flavorful. You can eat them for breakfast or snack on them at lunch. Frozen blueberries also make a tasty and healthy snack. If you are trying different regimes and exercises for weightless, blueberries should be your choice of fruit.

Blueberries are widely known for their taste, but not many know about the various health benefits they offer. Blueberries help prevent cancer, UTI’s (Urinary tract infections), digestive problems (such as diarrhea and constipation) and problems in vision. They help in strengthening the heart muscles and are an amazing source of vitamin C, vitamin K, iron and dietary fibers. Blueberries are also known to help improve memory and reduce belly fat.

Here are top 20 reasons why you need to start including blueberries in your diet.

20. Vitamin C

Blue berries are full of vitamin C. Just a few blueberries can help you achieve your daily dose of this important vitamin. Vitamin C helps in collagen formation. It also helps maintain healthy gums and provides the immune system with a good boost. A cup full of blueberries contains 14 milligrams of vitamin C.

• Get your daily vitamin C boost at breakfast.
• Add blueberries to your morning shake or smoothie.
• You can also add blueberries to your pancake batter.
• Blueberries can also be added on the side of your pancakes along with strawberries and raspberries.

19. Vitamin K

Consuming one cup of blueberries will provide you with 36% of vitamin K. Vitamin K is responsible for providing the body with 80 essential nutrients. It also prevents osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, internal bleeding and hemorrhage in babies. It helps regulate menstrual flow and is essential for blood clotting.

Therefore, vitamin K is very important for our body and the levels of vitamin K in the blood can be maintained by increasing the intake of blueberries.

18. Fibers

Blueberries contain good fibers. These fibers help in the digestive process and prevent diseases that can result in loss of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Blueberries should be incorporated in the diet daily. Look for different recipes and ways through which you can include blueberries in your sweet and savory foods. Blueberries are known to prevent constipation and diarrhea.

Fibers are required by the body, and these good fibers can be made available through a handful serving of blueberries.

• Wash your blueberries and store them in the fridge.
• Eat a few blueberries after each meal.
• You can also replace your water with pure and organic blueberry juice.
• Water is important, and should not be completely excluded from the meal.

“Blueberries are healthy and packed with nutrition. Everyone loves blueberries and here are top 20 reasons why you should love them too.”

17. Prevents Radical Damage

Blueberries help prevent radical damage. Free radicals are essentially by-products of biochemical reactions occurring inside the body. Free radicals can be toxic to cells; they can damage them beyond repair. Blueberries help put a stop to radical damage, they contribute to the physical condition and health of cells.

16. Neurological Health

Blueberries are important for neurological health, they help protect the brain and aid its performance. Blueberries are also called ‘protective agents’. They help retain facts and information, thereby improving memory.

According to recent research, blueberries are responsible for protecting our brain from oxidative damage, stress, degeneration and neurotoxicity.

These small and succulent berries contain high amounts of phenols, especially gallic acid. These phenols are the cause of all the neurological health benefits provided.

15. Anti-Aging

Aging can be lessened to great degree by including blueberries in the diet. Blueberries contain many anti-aging properties that help prevent wrinkles and the occurrence of other fine lines on the skin. Many women eat blueberries daily solely for their anti-aging benefits.

Everyone wants to look young and healthy, two things that can easily be achieved by eating blueberries. Blueberries are featured in many skin care products available in the market. The products claim to maintain youthful glowing skin.

14. Heart Health

Eating blueberries daily along with strawberries can help prevent heart attacks. Blueberries lower LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol and increase HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol. They also help maintain blood pressure. All these effects together promote the health of the heart.

Blueberries also help strengthen the heart muscles, thereby preventing myocardial infarctions and ventricular dystrophy.

13. Iron

Blueberries contain iron. A lack or iron in the body can lead to pale skin and lips. People with a deficiency of iron tend to feel exhausted and lethargic. This makes every day activities feel tiring.

Increase the intake of foods rich in iron, such as spinach and blueberries.

• Wash all your fresh leaves and vegetables.
• Toss in some spinach leaves and blueberries.
• Prepare your salad as you normally would.
• Eat iron rich foods daily.

12. Urinary Tract Infections

Blueberries help improve bladder performance and reduce the risk of urinary tract infections. They help prevent bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall. Bacteria are washed away in the urine.

Blueberries help clear the urinary tract and prevent various kinds of infections from developing.

• Always keep a few blueberries with you wherever you go.
• Eat the blueberries at least once daily.
• Remove all junk food from your diet.
• Incorporate blueberries in your deserts.

11. Glowing Skin

If you eat a lot of blueberries, then chances are that is the cause for your glowing skin. Blueberries help you look fresh from the inside out. The help revive the skin and make it smooth and soft. Skin care products that use blueberries as their main ingredient are becoming quite popular. They help work against acne.

• Puree your blueberries.
• Add 2 cups brown sugar and 2 teaspoon of pureed blueberries.
• Add in 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.
• Mix all the ingredients well.
• Apply this scrub on your skin daily.

This scrub will make your skin feel soft and smooth.

10. Weight Loss

Blueberries help in weight loss. This function of blueberries is due to two important reasons – blueberries are low in calories and high in fibers. They are also low on the glycemic index; this makes them the perfect super food to eat for weight loss.

Foods that have a low glycemic index are absorbed slowly; they keep you full longer and help control your appetite.

• Make a spinach salad full of healthy fruits and vegetables.
• Sprinkle some walnuts on top.
• Add low-fat cheese. This step is optional.
• Mix in a handful of blueberries, either fresh or dried.

9. Maintains Blood Pressure

Researchers suggest that blueberries can help lower down the blood pressure. This makes it the perfect fruit for those who suffer from high blood pressure and want to control it.

Blood pressure should always be maintained in the normal range, high or low blood pressure can be the cause of serious diseases. Blueberries can help maintain blood pressure by lowering it slightly. However, if you are someone who suffers from blood pressure- related problems, then it is very much recommended that you consult a doctor.

“Blueberries help provide the body with a number of health benefits. Here are top 20 reasons why you should include them in your daily diet.”

8. Vision

Blueberries have quickly made their way into the list of fruits and vegetables that can help improve vision. This makes them the perfect food to munch on.

Vision is very important for our daily life and blueberries help keep our eyes healthy.

• Include blueberries in your breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Keep them as a side option.
• Reach for blueberries when you feel hungry instead of junk food.

7. Anti-Cancer

Resent researches suggest that blueberries help reduce the risk of cancer in normal healthy individuals. They help in the removal of cancer causing cells without damaging normal healthy cells. They are also known to prevent the formation of tumor cells. Ongoing researches suggest that anthocyanins are responsible for this anti-cancer property.

Blueberries help prevent cancer; they do not help treat it. Therefore, you should definitely consult your doctor if you are already diagnosed with this disease.

6. Works As An Antidepressant

Anyone who has a box full of blueberries in the fridge need not be depressed anymore. Blueberries work to improve your mode and help you feel fresh and full of life.
Ongoing researches suggest that blueberries are good antidepressants. They help elevate your mood and provide your body with a good boost of energy.

The only thing that can cause you to feel sad and depressed is if you have recently run out of blueberries at home.

• Wash a couple of blueberries and throw them in a food processor.
• Add only a small amount of water.
• Blend until a syrup has formed.
• Pour this syrup over your pancakes, waffles and ice creams.

Why be depressed when you have blueberries in your life?

5. Maintains Blood Sugar

Diabetic patients often find themselves at a loss of what to eat, and that is where blueberries come in. Blueberries not only provide various nutritional benefits to the body, but they also help lower blood sugar. This makes them the perfect fruit for diabetic patients.

The doctor should be consulted before you start including blueberries in the diet, of course. If you are a person with normal blood sugar and no signs of diabetes, then you should control your daily intake of these berries.

Too much or too little of anything is bad for health.

4. Keep The Body Fit And Fresh

If you want a fit and healthy body then you should opt for fruits and vegetables and there is no better healthy fruit than blueberries. Blueberries aid in digestion and protection against diseases; they also help keep your body fit and fresh. All the health benefits provided by blueberries help maintain the overall health of the body.

This does not mean that your diet should only be based upon blueberries. Instead, you should try and incorporate blueberries in your otherwise simple meals, to turn them healthy.

A good example of incorporating blueberries in the diet is through muffins. Good freshly baked muffins are enjoyed by the old and young alike.

• Add a handful of blueberries to your muffin batter.
• Make sure that almost an equal number of blueberries are in each muffin, when distributing the batter.
• Bake your muffins according to the instructions of your muffin recipe.
• Top of the baked muffins with blueberry syrup.

3. Bone Health

Blueberries function to maintain healthy bones. Our body is made up of 206 bones, and there is not one bone that is more important than the other. All our bones work together to perform various functions. Therefore, the health of our bones is very important. Blueberries work to reduce the risks of atherosclerosis and osteoporosis, along with other bone related diseases.

Blueberries are also an important source of Manganese – which is responsible for the development of normal, healthy bones.

• Drink blueberry juice daily with your breakfast.
• Add a few blueberries to your shakes and smoothies.
• Include blueberries in your salads.

2. Satiety

Blueberries help provide satiety. They provide a feeling of fullness for your stomach for a longer period of time. If you will be working out till late or you have tons of work to do, pop a few of these blueberries in your mouth and you are good to go!

The best part about blueberries is that there is no one way to eat them, it all depends upon your taste and what you prefer.

• Add a few tablespoons of vanilla Greek yogurt.
• Add a handful of blueberries to your yogurt.
• You can also add some granola.
• Mix the three ingredients well together.
• Eat whenever hunger strikes.

1. Diet

Your diet is an important part of who you are and what you are made of. A bad diet will only result in bad health and that is not something that anyone wants. Your diet should be balanced; it should be able to provide you with all the necessary nutrients needed by the body. A good diet leads to a healthy, happy and productive individual. We are what we eat, and therefore what we eat merits more importance than any other thing in our life. Our physical activity and daily exertions all depend upon our food intake. A body can only do so much if the diet is rich in unhealthy junk food.

A lot of caution is required when preparing a diet plan. A dietician should be consulted for added benefits, as only a dietician can help increase our knowledge of food that is good for the body and food that is bad.

Blueberries are healthy and delicious; they are mostly added to sweet deserts. They should unquestionably be included in the diet.

Following are a few ways you can include blueberries in the diet:

• Add blueberries to your pancakes, waffles and ice creams.
• Add blueberries to your fruit cobbler.
• Make blueberry jam and syrups.
• Include fresh or dried blueberries in your baked goods.

Blueberries are a guilt fruit. You can enjoy them as they are or along with many other options. Now, you finally have a reason to eat a slice or two of blueberry pie.

Blueberries are a super food that everyone should enjoy. Their amazing taste and health benefits make them a favorite amongst the old and young alike. People prefer blueberries more than they do strawberries and other kinds of berries.

Do’s

• Include blueberries in the diet.
• Buy only organic blueberries.
• Plant your own blueberries, if you have space.
• Wash your blueberries with clean water before eating them.
• Increase the intake of blueberries by including them in your pancakes and waffles.
• Make fresh blueberry jams and syrups.
• Always carry a few blueberries with you.
• Consult your doctor if you are a heart patient, or suffer from any disease.
• Include other kinds of berries in your diet as well; such as raspberries and strawberries.

Don’ts

• Do not eat blueberries without washing them first.
• Do not buy blueberries without knowing if they are organic or inorganic.
• Do not take any medication that counteracts the function of blueberries.
• Avoid blueberries until a proper consultation with the doctor.
• Do not base your diet on blueberries as the only food source.
• Avoid the intake of junk food.