FOODS FOR HEALING
True Blue Brain Food
Blueberries are a healthy and convenient food
By Mark Isaac Thyss
Garden of Healing®
No peeling, pitting, coring or cutting - just twirl them under water and pop them into your mouth. July is National Blueberry Month and this berry couldn't be better for you!
What broccoli is to vegetables, so the blueberry is to fruit - a healthy, nutritious and convenient food.
With their intense blue color and sweet flavor, blueberries are easy to eat and enjoy. Luscious in visual appeal, they are the perfect food for the savvy eater with more to offer than meets the eye.
Blueberries are a traditional American fruit. They are prolific in 35 states, and the United States produces over 90% of all the blueberries in the world.
In 2003, Ann M. Veneman, the Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture, proclaimed July as "National Blueberry Month", to promote the greater appreciation and use of these delicious plump berries.
Blueberries are packed with nutritional benefits, low in calories and fat, and a good source of fiber. They are rich in Vitamin A, B1, B2, C, niacin, and the minerals calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron. Ranked the highest in disease-fighting antioxidants, their consumption meets the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommending a diet with plenty of fruit.
Like cranberries, blueberries may guard against urinary tract infections by preventing the bacteria from attaching to cell walls.
The blueberry is a true blue food, - often referred to as the "brain berry". It derives its bold coloring from the high content of anthocyanin, which is a water-soluble pigment that imparts colors ranging from blue to shades of red.
Packed with these anthocyanins, blueberries appear to be one of the most potent antidotes to oxidative stress, a process that ages you.
Oxidative stress is damage to cell membranes and DNA from free radicals. Antioxidants, as those plentifully found in blueberries, are known to find and eradicate free radicals.
Blueberries reach their peak in July, but can be harvested anytime they're ripe from April to October, depending on their variety.
Cultivated blueberries, like the tall Highbush variety, grown in warmer areas, should be powdery blue and always firm. Choose blueberries that have a lively uniform hue color with a whitish bloom.
Soft, wet berries will not keep for long. Refrigerate blueberries as soon as you get them home, and keep them unwashed and uncovered until ready to eat. Even in ideal conditions, blueberries will only last two to three days in the refrigerator.
By proclaiming July "blueberry month", the Secretary of the USDA called upon all citizens to recognize and celebrate this prolific berry with ceremonies and activities.
You can find a "pick-your-own farm" that allows you to experience the blueberry first hand, but the most important part is making sure you eat them - and regularly.
© 1996-2009 Mark Isaac Thyss/Garden of Healing®. All rights reserved.
True Blue Brain Food
Blueberries are a healthy and convenient food
By Mark Isaac Thyss
Garden of Healing®
No peeling, pitting, coring or cutting - just twirl them under water and pop them into your mouth. July is National Blueberry Month and this berry couldn't be better for you!
What broccoli is to vegetables, so the blueberry is to fruit - a healthy, nutritious and convenient food.
With their intense blue color and sweet flavor, blueberries are easy to eat and enjoy. Luscious in visual appeal, they are the perfect food for the savvy eater with more to offer than meets the eye.
Blueberries are a traditional American fruit. They are prolific in 35 states, and the United States produces over 90% of all the blueberries in the world.
In 2003, Ann M. Veneman, the Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture, proclaimed July as "National Blueberry Month", to promote the greater appreciation and use of these delicious plump berries.
Blueberries are packed with nutritional benefits, low in calories and fat, and a good source of fiber. They are rich in Vitamin A, B1, B2, C, niacin, and the minerals calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron. Ranked the highest in disease-fighting antioxidants, their consumption meets the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommending a diet with plenty of fruit.
Like cranberries, blueberries may guard against urinary tract infections by preventing the bacteria from attaching to cell walls.
The blueberry is a true blue food, - often referred to as the "brain berry". It derives its bold coloring from the high content of anthocyanin, which is a water-soluble pigment that imparts colors ranging from blue to shades of red.
Packed with these anthocyanins, blueberries appear to be one of the most potent antidotes to oxidative stress, a process that ages you.
Oxidative stress is damage to cell membranes and DNA from free radicals. Antioxidants, as those plentifully found in blueberries, are known to find and eradicate free radicals.
Blueberries reach their peak in July, but can be harvested anytime they're ripe from April to October, depending on their variety.
Cultivated blueberries, like the tall Highbush variety, grown in warmer areas, should be powdery blue and always firm. Choose blueberries that have a lively uniform hue color with a whitish bloom.
Soft, wet berries will not keep for long. Refrigerate blueberries as soon as you get them home, and keep them unwashed and uncovered until ready to eat. Even in ideal conditions, blueberries will only last two to three days in the refrigerator.
By proclaiming July "blueberry month", the Secretary of the USDA called upon all citizens to recognize and celebrate this prolific berry with ceremonies and activities.
You can find a "pick-your-own farm" that allows you to experience the blueberry first hand, but the most important part is making sure you eat them - and regularly.
© 1996-2009 Mark Isaac Thyss/Garden of Healing®. All rights reserved.
