Health Benefits of Blueberries

There's nothing better on a hot summer day than a cool blueberry smoothie or fresh blueberries on top of your morning yogurt or oatmeal. They're always depicted as a healthy snack, or addition to meals, even as a "healthy" dessert like blueberry pie. But what secrets do these little berries hold that make them so healthy?

Antioxidants

Blueberries are high in antioxidants - also known as phenolic compounds such as quercetin, chlorogenic acid, kaempferol, and myricetin. Antioxidants help protect your cells against free radicals, which helps to prevent cancer and heart disease.

Mental Health

Did you know that eating blueberries is good for your brain? They are connected to slowing down cognitive decline in women, can help to prevent risk of cognitive damage, and even help to improve short-term memory!

Bone Strength

Bet you never would have guessed that blueberries are great for bones? They're full of Vitamin K, which helps to improve the absorption of calcium, which helps reduce calcium loss and helps to prevent bone fractures. Blueberries also contain zinc and iron, which both help maintain strength and elasticity in bones and joints to keep you moving. Blueberries are also jam-packed with other good minerals for healthy bones like calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, and manganese.

Protect Against Heart Disease

Blueberries are high in fiber, which has been shown to help those with Type 1 Diabetes maintain low blood glucose levels. It can also help reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes up to 7%! Fiber is also important in helping to reduce cholesterol, a major factor in heart disease.

Blueberries contain Vitamin B6 and folate, which both help with the process of preventing the buildup of homocysteine which can cause damage to the blood vessels and ultimately, lead to damaging the heart. They also contain anthocyanins, which can help to reduce the risk of heart attack by as much as 32%! Now that's protecting your ticker!

Protect Against Cancer

It is known that the antioxidants in blueberries help to protect against free radicals that cause disease and contribute to cancer. Studies on antioxidants show that they may help to inhibit tumor growth. The folate in blueberries also helps with DNA synthesis and repair. All these factors are key to giving your body better protection against such cancers as pancreatic, lung, prostate, colon, and so many more.

More healthy foods to fill your belly:

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