It’s A Long And Winding Road

Blueberries are great on your morning oatmeal, in muffins and mixed in a bowl of fresh fruit. They are high in vitamin C, vitamin E, manganese, fiber and low in calories. But that’s not all, a recent study done by Tufts University found blueberries to be on the top of the list of 60 vegetables and fruits regarding antioxidant abilities. That means that this fruit is an excellent food to neutralize free radical damage. It was also found that blueberries deliver 38% more antioxidant anthocyanins than red wine which is a cardio protective food.

This fruit has been shown, through a animal studies, to protect the brain against from oxidative stress. Scientists say this means eating blueberries may effectively reduce symptoms of age related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. During the animal study they found that elderly animals were improved in their motor skills as well as their learning capacity.

The compound, ellagic acid, is found in blueberries. This is another type of antioxidant that block metabolic joining paths that may result in cancer. Strawberries also contain this ellagic acid. In addition blueberries contain a lot of soluble fiber pectin. This type of fiber is known to lower cholesterol.

Further studies showed compounds in blueberries exhibited protection against colon cancer and ovarian cancer.

For a great dessert idea, layer blueberries (and strawberries), in fluted wine glasses, along with vanilla yogurt. Top with a sprinkle of ginger. They are great on oatmeal or in oatmeal muffins.

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