One of the best parts about summer to me is all the delicious summer fruits! Watermelon, strawberries, peaches, and blueberries! I love them all, but my personal favorite, and the one that can be found most frequently in my refrigerator, are blueberries. I ALWAYS have blueberries of some sort in the house. In the summer I have fresh blueberries from the local farmer’s market and when they’re not in season I buy frozen ones.
What’s so great about blueberries?
Well, besides the obvious fact that they are delicious and can be used in many ways (some of which I will talk about below), they are also highly nutritious and good for you! Blueberries are packed full of antioxidants. In fact, they are ranked as one of the highest in antioxidants out of all fruits. Antioxidants are good! They help to combat free radicals in our bodies. Free radicals are bad! They form when certain molecules react with oxygen, a process called oxidation. Free radicals can cause all sorts of damage to cellular structures and DNA, so consuming foods rich in antioxidants is important to help combat them.
Many studies indicate that blueberries are beneficial for the nervous system and brain health. They are a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C, and manganese.
What to do with blueberries?
Besides just grabbing a handful and eating them, there are so many ways you can get a daily dose of bluberries in your diet! Luckily, blueberries freeze really well without losing their nutrient content. I like to either freeze fresh blueberries or buy some that are already frozen to use in smoothies! When I am on top of my meal planning/prepping I like making little smoothie freezer bags that I can easily throw into a blender for a quick snack or breakfast.
This particular one has blueberries, banana slices, and spinach. I can pour this whole bag straight into the blender, add some liquid (coconut water, apple juice, or whatever) and it’s good to go.
The other way I usually eat my blueberries is on top of oatmeal almost every morning. You could also add blueberries to cereal, mixed in some yogurt, on top of a salad, or in some muffins! 😉
Now don’t you want to run out and get you some blueberries! You know you do.
Thanks for reading!
Bows and Arrows,
Ashley
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