Diet and Nutrition

Blueberries as Antioxidants

Blueberries as Antioxidants

The wide range of natural antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables helps our bodies protect against disease and age-related health risks. Blueberries are especially rich in anthocyanin, a flavonoid with potent antioxidant capacity. Highly concentrated in the deep-blue pigments of Wild Blueberries, anthocyanin is responsible for both color and powerful health protection potential. They’ve been used for hundreds of years to treat blood pressure, heart conditions, and urinary tract infections. One-cup serving of Wild Blueberries has more total antioxidant capacity than 20 other fruits and veggies, including cranberries, strawberries, plums, raspberries and even cultivated blueberries. In fact, Wild Blueberries have 2x the antioxidant power of ordinary blueberries, offering more of what it takes to fight disease and promote healthy aging.

Antioxidants are a hot topic today because they help our bodies protect against age-related health risks. Every day, our cells wage a battle against free radicals – unstable oxygen molecules that are a normal byproduct of metabolism. When you aren’t getting enough antioxidants in your diet, free radicals can build up in your body, causing oxidative stress, which is associated with cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other diseases of aging. Dietary antioxidants such as anthocyanins, flavonoids found in the blue pigments of Wild Blueberries, have the ability to neutralize free radicals and help prevent cell damage. Antioxidants also protect against inflammation, thought to be a leading factor in brain aging, Alzheimer’s disease and other degenerative diseases.

What are Blueberries Good For?

Improve memory

Blueberries have reached superstar status in terms of their unique health benefits. After many years of research on blueberry antioxidants and their potential benefits for the nervous system and for brain health, there is incredible new evidence that blueberries can improve memory. In a study involving older adults, 12 weeks of daily blueberry consumption was enough to improve scores on two different tests of cognitive function including memory.

Fight cancer

Clinical studies have even discovered that, unlike radiation and chemotherapy strategies, gallic acid-rich foods like blueberries can kill cancer without harming healthy cells! Like countless studies before, researchers discovered that blueberries and gallic acid slow and even destroy breast cancer. Blueberry benefits cancer primarily due to their wide range of antioxidants, with gallic acid the primary and resveratrol also offering support.

Promote Heart Health

One study showing that eating strawberries and blueberries together has a superpower effect that actually decreases the risk of heart attack by up to 33 percent. Blueberry health benefits have also been shown to lower LDL cholesterol naturally, raise HDL cholesterol and lower blood pressure naturally.

Blueberries are sweet, nutritious and wildly popular. Often labelled a “superfood,” they are low in calories and incredibly good for you. Besides being rich in Vitamin C, manganese, and fiber, blueberries are incredibly nutritious and tasty that many people consider them to be their favorite fruit. They are super rich in antioxidants, help you improve your memory, boost the brain, lower blood pressure, decrease the risk of heart attack and even fight cancer. So little and yet so powerful!