This week, it’s blueberry health benefits from Kat’s Kitchen.
Blueberries are currently viewed as a bit of a wonder food. Read on to find out why!
Globally, there are approximately 30 different varieties of blueberries. They are members of the Ericaceae family together with other berries such as bilberries. They are native to many parts of the world, including North America where they are cultivated as well as grow wild.
I love blueberries. I find them delicious and enjoy them as they are, with porridge/yoghurt for breakfast, great for filling a pancake/crepe or making luscious blueberry compotes and jams.
Blueberry Health Benefits
Here are a few nutritional reasons to include blueberries in your diet:
- Blueberries are an excellent source of flavonoids, especially anthocyanidins which give them their distinctive colour. These compounds are exceptional antioxidants with some research rating their antioxidant levels the highest out of fruit and vegetables. Such compounds have been found to protect against Alzheimer’s disease as blueberries protected the brain from oxidative stress.
- Blueberries also improve vision and protect against age-related macular degeneration.
- Due to their soluble and insoluble fibre levels blueberries are also a remedy for both diarrhoea and constipation.