Why Should We Eat Blueberries?

There is hardly anyone who does not know that blueberries are rich in useful nutrients. It is no coincidence that the small indigo fruit is called a "super food". The fact is that it is not always everywhere on the market and usually its packaging seems too small for the price, but it is still worth including it in our menu regularly.

In any case, no one expects to eat blueberries, although they are sweet , they are astringent and difficult to consume on their own, but added to yogurt and oatmeal, for example, create an incredible feeling of health. breakfast. 

The color of blueberries in itself should be an indicator of their health benefits. This means that it includes pigments, which in themselves are strong antioxidants . We need them to prevent all serious diseases such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis and cancer.

In general, blueberries are full of useful polyphenols , mostly flavonoids . They are important for the body to deal with inflammatory processes caused by free radicals. This means that damage to our own DNA from them can be significantly eliminated by the nutrients of blueberries . The best fact in this regard is that the strength of antioxidants is not only preserved but also improved during freezing.

Blueberries are rich in anthocyanins , which as we mentioned in Puls.bg is also found in blackberries and raspberries.

One of the major health contributions of anthocyanins is that they reduce cardiovascular risk and the risk of developing metabolic syndrome  and diabetes . There is evidence that these pigments improve the body's insulin sensitivity . In addition, nutrients in blueberries apparently block some digestive enzymes, which prevents a sharp jump in blood sugar after consuming carbohydrates.

Like the group of small berries, cranberries are rich in fiber and vitamin C . The vitamin once again improves their antioxidant power, takes care of collagen synthesis, ie youth and skin health.  

Fiber is useful both for the digestive tract itself and the prevention of constipation , as well as for the normalization of blood sugar. They also have a beneficial effect on blood cholesterol levels. Research shows that the benefits of blueberry fiber, in particular, can be derived mainly by consuming probiotics , so the combination with natural Bulgarian milk creates real health support.

Not only because of fiber, the consumption of 50 g of blueberries daily can contribute to a 27% drop in bad cholesterol in the blood.  

The overall effect of beneficial nutrients for the cardiovascular system of blueberries helps to normalize blood pressure , which is important for the prevention of heart disease .

Blueberries are especially useful after a workout because they help muscle recovery .

The most valuable benefit of blueberries, which can rarely be obtained from other foods, is that their nutrients support the brain . This is mainly due to flavonoids. There is evidence that they activate signaling proteins in specific pathways in the hippocampus , the part of the brain that is involved in learning and memory . 1

In a study in which volunteers aged 70 and several consumed 2 - 2 cups of blueberries a day for two months, the researchers found that they had a significant improvement in cognitive abilities .  This is a sure sign that blueberries can help us prevent neurodegenerative diseases , which are inevitable with serious age.

Another study found that their consumption has a beneficial effect on blood circulation, including the brain, improves the ability to concentrate and memory.

What other nutrients are blueberries rich in? Other qualities

• Vitamins: vitamin K1 - provides us with a quarter of the daily needs, vitamin B6 and other B vitamins, vitamin E and a little vitamin A. 
• Minerals: manganese - nearly one-fifth of our daily needs, copper, jelly, potassium, some calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc.
• Calories: 57 
• Glycemic load: 4
• Carbohydrates per 100 g are 14.5 g, which is not small, 2.4 g of them are fiber, equal to 10% of our daily needs for the day. 
• Water content: 84.2 g.

The figures refer to 100 g of blueberries