Blueberries: a perfect summer snack

Blueberries: a perfect summer snack


Doesn’t it seem like we’re always being told about all the things we shouldn’t eat? For once, let’s talk about something we can eat with impunity.

And that something, friends, is blueberries.

July is national blueberry month. So it’s a perfect time to think about this unique berry and all the reasons it’s great for our health.

A 2015 study from Harvard University researchers found an inverse relationship between some fruits and weight gain — meaning that the more specific fruits were incorporated into the diet, the more weight dieters lost. Those fruits included apples, pears and you guessed it: blueberries.

In 2014, Appalachian State University researchers found that athletes who ate a little less than 2 cups of blueberries a day for six weeks reduced the oxidative stress on their bodies caused by long-distance running. More important, the athletes doubled their “killer cell” counts. Killer cells are white blood cells that target virus-infected and cancerous cells in the body.

Blueberries are nutrient-dense, packing high doses of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese, which aids in bone development and converting proteins, carbohydrates and fats into energy.

Aside from all the health benefits, blueberries are easy to add to your diet. Take blueberries, some yogurt and a banana, throw them in a blender and you’ve got a perfect smoothie. Toss them on cereal, oatmeal or into a salad.

Or just enjoy them as they come. One cup of blueberries contains roughly 84 calories, no cholesterol and about one gram of protein.

You’ll have done your body good and no one can even wag so much as a finger at you about it.

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