I just love these beautiful, vibrant, sweet tasting little berries! Used to be a time when food was just something to fill me up when I was hungry. I didn't really think of food in the sense of how it actually helps in healing our body when it's out of balance and how what we choose to eat on a daily basis is so instrumental in our overall health. Take the blueberry for example;
Did you know this berry is one of the most antioxidant rich fruits in the world? In brief, antioxidants work by protecting and repairing our cells from cellular damage. What causes this type of damage? Diets that lack fruits and vegetables, consuming too many unhealthy fats, the artificial colors, flavorings and other chemicals in our foods, drinking water, bath and beauty products. Also, air pollution, smoking, stress, lack of sleep. All these factors are what contribute to the weakening of, and damage to, our inner cellular structure. Over time this leads to an imbalance in our bodies, which can then lead to the manifestation of illnesses and diseases - like heart disease, cancers, diabetes, high blood pressure, auto-immune disease and skin issues. So eating foods that contain antioxidants is pretty important for our overall health.
Urinary Tract Infections
These berries contain a compound called proanthocyanidins. What they do is prevent infectious bacteria from attaching to the walls of the urinary tract and bladder. With no place to attach to, the bacteria is flushed out with your urine. Bye bye UTI. 😉
Where do they get that beautiful blue color ?
From a natural plant pigment called anthocyanin. This is also where other fruits, veggies, leaves, stems, roots and flowers get their red, blue and purple coloring. There are many health benefits and medicinal properties associated with anthocyanins as well.
anti-cancer - inhibits the growth of cancer cells by reducing inflammation within the body.
anti-viral - inhibits the development of a virus. Giving your immune system a boost which helps your body fight off and shorten the duration of a virus and reduces the severity of symptoms.
anti-inflammatory - food allergies, consuming foods high in sugar, unhealthy fats, smoking, lack of exercise, carrying excess weight, emotional and mental stress, all contribute to creating chronic inflammation in the body. When your body reaches this point, you leave yourself open for heart disease, stroke, cancers, diabetes, arthritis and autoimmune disease. Eating foods with anti-inflammatory properties reduces inflammation in the body. However, if a change in lifestyle is not introduced, there is no way any anti-inflammatory is going to be able to help heal the body from any illness brought on from chronic inflammation.
Regarding chronic inflammation - Resources
The best way to get the health benefits from blueberries is by eating them in their natural form. Raw. You can freeze them, although some feel this does hinder some of the health benefits and medicinal properties and then again, some feel that it does not. I don't know whether it does or not. I do know that I love eating them frozen as well as fresh. I especially like adding the frozen berries to my oatmeal. Yum. The leaves of the plant have the same health benefits and medicinal properties as the berries. Sipping on a warm cup of tea made from either fresh or dried leaves will give your immunity a boost and also help in the recovery of colds and or the flu.
I could go on and on here about the benefits these sweet little berries have to offer health wise, but then this post would end up being waaay too long. Be sure to do some more research and incorporate them into your daily diet. Your body will thank you with healthier skin and hair, stronger bones, healthier digestive system, enhanced brain health.