Blueberry Tidbit

 I love blueberries! Fresh are the best but we have the Costco dried blueberries in the cupboard for baking and topping our breakfast cereals. I love blueberry jam, pie, tarts and even the 'Natures Path' blueberry toaster pastries. The frozen mixed berries are great for smoothies.

 (Dr. Weil)
Any way you buy them - fresh, frozen or dried - blueberries are packed with nutritional power. If you need reasons beside taste to snack on blueberries, keep these nutrition facts in mind. Blueberries:

1. Provide antioxidants. Anthocyanins, the pigments that make blueberries blue, are potent antioxidants: A half cup of blueberries provides the antioxidant power of five servings of peas, carrots, apples, squash or broccoli.
2. Are a healthy, low-glycemic-index carbohydrate, an especially good choice for diabetics.
3. Are a source of vitamin C, important for a supporting your immune system.
4. Help meet your daily fiber needs with two grams per half-cup serving of blueberries.
5. Have shown promise in addressing the untoward effects of aging: animal studies have demonstrated improved motor skills and a reversal of age-related short-term memory loss associated with consuming blueberries.
6. May offer various other health benefits ranging from preventing cancer and defending against urinary tract infections to protecting the brain from stroke damage and reducing heart disease risks.

Look for organic blueberries, and toss some in a salad, enjoy on cereal, eat as a snack or make a blueberry pie. If fresh, organic blueberries are cost prohibitive, substitute with frozen or dried products - all three forms provide health-protective benefits. Keep in mind that dried blueberries are a concentrated source of sugar, so enjoy them in moderation.