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Fruit Hemp Heart Bars
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Nature's Superfruit: The Blueberry
From research labs all across the country and the world, there is growing evidence that blueberries are an important part of a healthy diet.
The glorious blueberry, with its tasty splash of color as a garnish for most any dish, is native only to North America. However, blueberries are now grown in the Southern Hemisphere in Australia, New Zealand and South American countries. They are air-shipped as fresh produce to markets around the world.
Blueberry Nutrition
Since 2005, blueberries have been considered among a category of functional foods called superfruits. Named for their velvety, deep-blue color, Blueberries have the favorable combination of a diverse range of micronutrient richness and ranked number one for antioxidant strength. They have notably high levels of:
- The essential dietary mineral, Manganese – important for the development of bones and in the metabolism of protein, carbohydrate and fat.
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin K
- Dietary fiber (2.41 g/100g, per 1 cup of blueberries contains, 14% of the Daily Value (DV) of fiber) – A diet high in fiber contributes to:
- Heart health
- Helping to keep cholesterol in check
- Aids in digestion
- Helps maintain regularity
- Iron
- Bioflavonoids – used by the rods in the eye for night vision, the reason British Royal Air Force pilots consumed bilberries (a blueberry relative) to improve their night vision during World War II.
- Antioxidants such as:
- Vitamins C (14 mg per 1 cup of blueberries, 25% of the daily requirement) – needed for the formation of collagen and to maintain healthy gums and capillaries. It also aids in the absorption of iron and promotes a healthy immune system.
- Vitamin E (0.8 mg per 1 cup of blueberries).
- Anthocyanins – gives blueberries their color and might be the key component of the blueberry’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Phenolics
- Flavonoids
Blueberries:
Have been associated with positive physiological and cosmetic benefits for centuries.
They are very low in fat and sodium.
Test high in their ability to subdue free radicals – unstable molecules linked to the development of a number of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease and other age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's.
Native Americans used blueberry leaves in medicinal teas thought to be good for the blood and blueberry juice was used to treat coughs.
Why Blueberries are ranked number one for the Highest Antioxidant Activity*
* Based on data from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (Boston, MA)
Antioxidants are thought to help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals and the chronic diseases associated with the aging process. Researchers, using a test called Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC), have shown that a serving of fresh blueberries provides more antioxidant activity than many other fresh fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants thus far, seem to have the most conclusive role in the prevention/ delaying of such diseases as cancer, heart disease and the aging process however, a limited number long term and on human beings, are not available at this time.
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