Wellness Wednesday: June 2

BLUEBERRIES

Plump, round, and perfectly sweet, blueberries make the perfect smoothie bowl, yogurt parfait, or oatmeal topping—or just a satisfying snack in general! With Memorial Day this week, we’re highlighting this blue super berry as our Wellness Wednesday feature.

Blueberries are picked from a flowering shrub known as the Vaccinium sect. Cyanococcus, or more commonly referred to as simply the blueberry bush. Blueberries are close relatives to cranberries and huckleberries, and they actually start off as little green berries before acquiring their deep blue hue as they ripen. There are also two types of blueberries, too! The highbush blueberries are the ones you’re used to eating in the grocery store—those are cultivated in the United States. Lowbush blueberries, on the other hand, are the “wild” type of blueberry and are richer in antioxidants than their counterpart.

Of all berries, blueberries contain the most nutrients per serving. One cup of blueberries supplies 4 grams of fiber and nearly a third of your RDI of vitamin C, K, and manganese. They’re high in water content to keep you hydrated and low in calories with just 84 calories in one cup.

Not only are blueberries the most nutrient-dense berry, but they’re also deemed to be the most antioxidant rich of all fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants help to protect your body against free radicals, which cause cellular and DNA damage, thus helping to work against the aging process and prevent cancers.

The primary cause of death in the United States is heart disease, and blueberries can help prevent this and keep your heart healthy! When bad cholesterol is oxidized in the body, it builds up in your arteries, thus increasing the risk and acting as the first step in developing heart disease. However, in one study, a 2 oz serving of blueberries, eaten over the course of two weeks, was shown to reduce the oxidation of this bad cholesterol by up to 27%. Going along with this, blueberries can help to reduce blood pressure as well—another risk factor of heart disease.

One of the most interesting aspects of blueberries is that they can help to improve memory and cognitive function. Because blueberries are high in powerful antioxidants, they have been observed in assisting aging neurons in cell signaling and increasing brain function.

Blueberries are an essential ingredient to a variety of our menu items. You can enjoy blueberries as a frozen concoction in our Blueberry Pie and Coco Flax smoothies, blended in our Classic and Pitaya bowls, sitting atop our Sunshine and Classic acai bowls, or enjoyed on our underrated Blueberry Zest toast! You can also add blueberries atop a bowl of your choosing or blended into your smoothie as well—just ask!

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