Blueberries are small, but look inside these little blue packages and you will find a pharmacy of nutrients. To start with, 1 cup contains only 80 calories, is fat-free, cholesterol free, of course transfat free, and contains 14mg of Vitamin C, that is 25% of the RDA. Vitamin C helps your body absorb the iron you eat in other foods. Vitamin C is needed for your body to make collagen, maintain healthy gums, capillaries and promotes a healthy immune system.
Other nutrients in blueberries include: Vitamins A and E (antioxidants along with vitamin C), and the minerals selenium, zinc and iron.
Need more information: Blueberries can help age related problems like: cataracts and macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness as we age), improve memory by healing our brain cells, and help motor function in aging lab animals (so maybe the same is true for humans :-) ). Bluesberries help to prevent some cancers and have antibacterial power which helps in the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections.
Still want more information: They are heart healthy and aid in digestion due to their fiber content.
It appears you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by adding blueberries to your grocery list.
Go buy some today at your local farmers market, favorite grocery store or roadside stand :-)
(written by Kimberly Smith Lukhard, MS, RD, LDN)
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