Blueberry as a Powerful Superfood

Do you tend to be forgetful in your middle age days? Having some memory loss episodes are common to a lot of women in their menopause years. However, there are things that you can do to make sure that you will be able to keep a good memory for a longer period. Did you know that blueberries can help you manage your forgetfulness? Found out more about it with the information below.

What is Blueberry?

Blueberries are not just berries, but they can be called medicinal berries as well. They are termed as such because they can also be used as a supplement other than being eaten plainly as a fruit. This fruit is highly known for being a superfood. This means that it has more nutrients than people expect it to have. In fact, its small size doesn’t matter much because it can offer a lot of nutrition to anyone who eats blueberries as fruit or take it as a supplement.

How BlueBerry Works

Surely, questions like what is the blueberry’s nutrition value? Are there carbohydrates in blueberries? Well, check this out. Blueberry is filled with high amounts of vitamin C which makes it an excellent antioxidant in the body. This would mean that it helps in cleansing the body from toxins and improving the immune system to prevent it from getting diseases. Just like the cranberries, the blueberries also have the same characteristics that help in protecting the lining of the cavities in the body and act as barriers from bacteria and other toxins. It is believed to be effective in protecting the lining of the urinary bladder and prevent a person from getting a urinary tract or bladder infection.

To address the question about carbohydrates in blueberries, according to the USDA, or the United States Department of Agriculture, a hundred grams or almost a cup of fresh blueberries will give you only 14 grams of carbohydrates. But, this amount already covers the total amounts of sugars and fibers from the superfood, which is just great!

Blueberry in Menopause

As a treatment method for women in menopause, this superfood is said to be best in alleviating symptoms of memory loss. According to studies, blueberries are efficient sources of antioxidants and flavonoids that help in the optimal function of the brain. It positively affects the areas of the brain that are responsible for the motor function, memory and communication. If you find yourself being forgetful most of the time, eating fresh or frozen blueberries or taking blueberry supplements could help.

Other Uses of Blueberry

There are other uses of blueberries that you may be surprised about. Did you know that blueberries can help you manage a sore throat? Just make a tea out of its leaves and it will help you soothe a burning throat. Plus, it will also help you in treating diarrhea. It is also a helpful way to manage hemorrhoids and ulcers. Its high fiber content is also a good factor for the improvement of your metabolism.

Side Effects of Blueberry

Since blueberry is a good superfood to help you have a faster and better metabolism, the blood sugar in your body may be easily consumed or used up. In this case, you have to watch out for hypoglycemia or a low blood sugar count. This could cause problems in people who are diagnosed with diabetes. If you are a diabetic, it is best to monitor your blood sugar while eating blueberries or taking it in supplement form.

Buying Blueberry

There are a lot of blueberries sold in the local supermarkets today. You can consume these berries as snacks or you can find a good supplement for them. There are Wild Alaskan blueberries that are said to be more effective than the regular berries. These blueberries are known to be a bit bigger and more luscious looking than the ordinary blueberries. Look for products that have wild blueberries in them and make sure that they are not genetically modified organisms or GMO. Choose the ones that were grown to be natural or organic. Blueberries can be bought as fresh fruits or frozen ones. Here are some tips for choosing blueberries from the food shops.

Buying Fresh Blueberry

• Fresh blueberries look dry and firm. Also, they have a silvery smooth surface. They are plump and don’t have leaves.
• Size doesn’t matter much when it comes to fresh blueberries. What you should look into is its color, which should be deep purple to blue or blue to black.
• Blueberries that have a reddish tint to them are still unripe ones. If you pick them out early, you wouldn’t be able to bring them to their ripe form. However, if you have unripe berries, you can still keep them and use them for cooking.
• Blueberries are usually sold in dry packages. If you notice the pack to have juice stains in them, it would mean that one or some of the berries got bruised.
• Avoid buying wrinkled or crushed blueberries. Also, put an eye on containers that have molds in them, because that’s a sign that the blueberries are no longer fresh.
• In keeping fresh blueberries, place them in a clean, dry bowl with a lid, or just keep them in their original container. And place it inside the fridge.
• Only wash the blueberries minutes before you eat them to keep them fresh and plump. In this way, you can still keep the freshness for up to 10 days.

Buying Frozen Blueberry

• You can find frozen blueberries in pre-packed bags or boxes. They should have proper labels saying that they have been pre-washed and unsweetened.
• Once you opt for frozen blueberries, make sure that they don’t clump altogether in the bag. Each berry should freely move in the bag while it’s frozen.
• You can just use or eat a few blueberry pieces or put everything in a bowl if you love it.
• When keeping blueberries, make sure that you place them in a clean container or its original container. Always keep it in a freezing temperature.
• You can just get a bag of frozen blueberries and toss them into your daily meals including cereals, smoothies, ice cream or even yogurt.
• If you have a huge bag of frozen blueberries but are planning to use a few, don’t forget to toss them carefully back in the freezer.
• If the blueberries have been completely thawed and have not been used, you can just return it to the freezer. Once the berries have experienced thawing, they should be consumed within three days of purchase.

Having Fun with Blueberries

healthy Blueberry Milkshake

Here’s Kristina with her Fully Raw blueberry recipe that will surely drive you crazy! Watch her have fun with making blueberry milkshake using fully raw ingredients! Imagine getting all the blueberries nutrition from this healthy drink! (5.29 mins)

Blueberry Overnight Oats

Watch the Healthy Grocery Girl and Registered Dietician, Megan Roosevelt, show her skills in a health kitchen with her lovely blueberry recipe! Learn how to make your own Blueberry Maple Overnight Oats at home! Check this out (3.33 mins)

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