From Smoothies to Snacks: Harnessing the Mighty Benefits of Blueberries
Keeping up a balanced diet is one of the best ways to live a healthy lifestyle. The more nutritious foods you include in your daily life, the more distinct benefits you can see from these foods and how they support your vitality.
Many people think of healthy foods as less tasty than their unhealthy counterparts. For example, when it comes to flavor, most people would choose a cheeseburger over a head of broccoli.
However, the distinction between healthy and tasty isn’t always true. In fact, some of the most delicious, naturally occurring foods are chock-full of nutrients and could even be considered “superfoods.”
Blueberries are an excellent example of this. These berries are packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals, and including them in your diet can have many significant health benefits.
On top of that, their sweet and slightly tangy flavor makes them easy to enjoy in a smoothie, acai bowl, fruit salad, or all by themselves. The benefits of blueberries are truly endless, and this superfood is readily available in juice shops and supermarkets all over the country.
Curious about all the delicious possibilities and benefits of blueberries? Support your health and enjoy a delicious treat at the same time with smoothies and bowls featuring blueberries from Clean Juice.
Table of contents:
- A Brief Overview of Blueberries
- What Is the Historical Significance of Blueberries?
- Benefits of Blueberries: Positive Health Effects
- How to Include More Benefits of Blueberry in Your Diet
- Benefits of Blueberries and So Much More at Clean Juice
A Brief Overview of Blueberries
Blueberries are often considered to be a superfood for their high nutrient content, but that doesn’t mean they are an exotic food. Most people have tried blueberries at one time or another, whether having them fresh in a bowl of fruit, baked into a pastry, or sprinkled on top of a smoothie bowl.
Blueberries first became a popular crop in the U.S. in the late 1800s. What started as small plants cultivated on family farms became a nationwide sensation in the early 20th century.
While the first commercial sale of a blueberry crop occurred in 1916, the “blueberry boom” didn’t occur until the 1940s. From then on, blueberries continued to rise in popularity until the present day. Now, they’re considered to be a staple at any grocery store or farmer’s market.
Throughout the early 2000s and beyond, more studies have been conducted by nutrition scientists to determine the exact benefits of eating blueberries. As more studies have occurred, more positive health changes have been observed in people who regularly include this superfood in their diet.
What Is the Historical Significance of Blueberries?
Before American farmers discovered the blueberry crop and fostered it on their own land, blueberries were used and enjoyed by a variety of Native American tribes.
Not only did Native Americans enjoy the benefits of blueberries, but they also utilized blueberries for medicinal needs. Additionally, they used blueberry juice to flavor other foods.
Today, blueberry bushes can thrive in many different locations. A total of 26 U.S. states grow blueberry crops, but over 98% of the country’s blueberry production occurs in 10 of those states.
Blueberries can also thrive in some other countries and continents, including South America, New Zealand, and Australia. However, since blueberries grow so well in several U.S. regions, this berry doesn’t need to be imported for Americans to enjoy it on a regular basis.
Benefits of Blueberries: Positive Health Effects
As you can see, the blueberry has a long history in U.S. agriculture and shows no signs of losing its popularity. Now it’s time to learn a bit more about the benefits of blueberries and why you should include this superfood in a healthy, balanced diet.
At Clean Juice, we help people support their health and longevity with consciously crafted smoothies, bowls, sandwiches, juice shots, and much more. Try out all of our blueberry creations and find your next favorite health fix today! Our fave at the moment? The Youthful One. It’s so good and refreshing on a hot summer’s day!
Cognitive Health
There are many reasons to maintain a balanced diet full of nutritious foods, but brain function is one huge benefit many overlook. When you are on a healthy eating journey, you may focus on the immediate physical results that nutritious meals can create. But the health of your mind long-term is a significant part of overall wellness and should be prioritized.
Thanks to the high antioxidant content in blueberries, eating this superfood can help to reduce oxidative stress in the body and brain. This type of stress tends to lead to brain aging, which can eventually cause diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Regularly eating blueberries can help support your neurons, especially as you age. Early studies already show their value as a strong supporter of brain function in older adults. If these results can be determined in a matter of weeks, imagine how much the blueberries in your diet could support your cognitive health after eating them for years!
Great Source of Antioxidants
Antioxidants in foods can help improve brain health over time, but this powerful compound can do even more.
Antioxidants are naturally occurring chemical compounds that fight the effects of oxidative stress within the body, which is caused by harmful molecules called free radicals. Free radicals can generate on their own through your metabolism, but habits like smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol can increase their production.
When left unchecked, free radicals can cause serious damage to healthy cells, leading to various illnesses and conditions. Antioxidants are compounds that fight off free radicals. While they also occur naturally in the body, eating foods like blueberries which are full of anthocyanins, can help boost antioxidant production.
Elevated levels of free radicals are linked to conditions like autoimmune disease, inflammation, and cancer. With more than 9,000 antioxidants present in a single cup of blueberries, this tasty fruit is an easy way to increase the antioxidants in your body and help to prevent disease.
Healthy Heart
Without a healthy heart, many other bodily processes can become weakened or disrupted, leading to serious health consequences. That’s why supporting heart health with the benefits of blueberries is recommended for people of all ages.
Some studies have linked blueberries with reduced blood pressure, especially with individuals who already struggle with high blood pressure. Adding the benefits of blueberries to your diet could help to decrease your risk factors for heart disease.
Lower Cholesterol
In addition to blood pressure regulation, keeping your cholesterol at a reasonable level is another important aspect of heart health. Every person has both “good” and “bad” cholesterol, and the levels of both have to be kept in check in order to prevent disease.
Without proper antioxidants in your diet, “bad” cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol, can become oxidized by free radicals. This process is one of the most significant risk factors for heart disease. Eating blueberries and other foods high in antioxidants can help to decrease oxidized LDL cholesterol in the body, reducing the risk of heart problems.
Smooth Digestion
Did you know that your digestive health plays a big role in your overall wellness? Improper digestion can lead to many different health complications. Additionally, when your digestion isn’t on track, it can simply cause a great deal of discomfort, making your day-to-day life more difficult.
One of the benefits of blueberry consumption is the superfood’s high fiber content. Fiber is an essential part of healthy and regular digestion. When you eat enough fiber in your diet and pair it with plenty of water, your digestion will be smoother, and you are less likely to experience uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating or constipation.
One cup of fresh blueberries includes nearly four grams of dietary fiber with less than 100 calories. Unlike some other sources of fiber that might be more calorically dense, blueberries are low in calories, not overly filling, and still support better digestion with ease.
Reduced Inflammation
Free radicals can cause all kinds of issues in the body, and one of the root causes of those issues is inflammation. When tissue becomes inflamed, the healthy cells within can become damaged. This is the source of many autoimmune diseases and serious illnesses.
In addition to its illness risk, inflammation on a smaller scale can cause discomfort or even pain. Some individuals can experience serious swelling or soreness after exercise or even during their day-to-day life caused by oxidative stress in the muscles.
The benefits of blueberry for inflammation can include decreased muscle soreness after exercise as well as reduced risk of inflammation-related disease. This means positive effects in the short and long term, especially if you have an active job or exercise often.
Healthy Skin
Many people want their skin to be as smooth and luminous as it is healthy. (We are all familiar with the “skincare” craze currently happening.) There are many ways to support the appearance and health of your skin from the outside, but doing so from the inside is just as important and effective.
You can create strong, healthy skin by including plenty of vitamins in your diet. Vitamin C, in particular, is essential for boosting collagen production, the most important compound for skin elasticity. Eating a single cup of blueberries could boost your vitamin C intake by more than 20%.
To make your skin as healthy and youthful as possible, make sure to drink plenty of water, wear sunscreen on a regular basis, and avoid smoking. You’ll be well on your way to your best skin ever.
Strong Bones
Keeping your bones strong is important for multiple reasons. It will keep you feeling capable and mobile in your daily life now and reduce your risk of arthritis or brittle bones as you age.
In order to keep your bones strong, there are a variety of natural compounds that are essential to your diet. Some of these include:
- Calcium
- Iron
- Phosphorous
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Manganese
- Vitamin K
These vitamins and minerals help support bone density and are present in blueberries. The more consistent you are with your micronutrients, the faster you’ll be able to heal in the event of a broken or fractured bone.
These nutrients also support your joints and muscles, which support your bones and keep them properly cushioned. This means that by including blueberries in your diet, you could help to prevent painful bone damage in the future.
Low in Calories
Calories are an important metric to pay attention to when it comes to your diet. If you eat more calories than you need to support your activity level and bodily functions, you could put your body at risk of the many issues associated with excess fat gain.
Like many fruits and vegetables, one of the benefits of blueberries is the low-calorie count. A single cup of this superfood is roughly 80 calories and provides your body with so many much-needed nutrients. Choosing foods like this over foods with high-calorie counts but low nutrient content is always the better option when it comes to your health.
How to Include More Benefits of Blueberry in Your Diet
There are many ways to introduce more blueberries into your diet. These tasty berries are great as a snack on their own. They also make delicious toppings for cereal, yogurt, and acai bowls.
Prefer to drink your blueberries? Try blending them into a nutrient-packed smoothie or refreshing juice. With organic almond butter, almond milk, banana, chia seeds, lemon, and blueberries The Wild One from Clean Juice is a delicious choice.
Benefits of Blueberries and So Much More at Clean Juice
The benefits of blueberries go way beyond their delicious taste. At Clean Juice, we know firsthand how much some fresh blueberries can elevate the taste of a smoothie, juice, or bowl while also increasing the nutrient profile and supporting good health.
Looking to enjoy the benefits of blueberry while staying cool this summer? Try our brand-new Blueberry Lemonade, a refreshing treat only here for a limited time. Enjoy the flavorful combination of freshly-pressed lemon and apple juice blended with blueberries, honey, and coconut water for some extra tasty hydration on a hot summer day. This will quench your thirst for sure.
This and many other healthy and delicious offerings are available now on our $6 Summer Item menu. Check it out while supplies last at a Clean Juice near you!
Sources:
- Mayo Clinic
- WebMD
- Cleveland Clinic
- PubMed
- PubMed
- U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
- Frontiers
Disclaimer: The information presented here is for educational purposes only and is in no way intended as a substitute for medical counseling. Consult your doctor before using any health treatment, including natural remedies, and tell your doctor if you have a serious medical condition or are taking any medications.
If you’re unsure whether blueberries would be a healthy choice for you, ask your doctor.