In the early 1900s, North American farmers began cultivating blueberries to create the sweeter varieties found on tables today. Unsurprisingly, this sweet fruit quickly became popular and blueberry bushes are now found across South America, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia.
As well as the little punch of flavor they bring, blueberries are renowned for their role as a superfood. Small but mighty, just one serving (100g) of these fresh berries contains 10% of your daily recommended fiber, 16% of vitamin C and 25% of vitamin K. Their color isn’t just for show either: the flavonoids responsible for the berry’s signature blue are called anthrocyanins – these antioxidant compounds decrease inflammation while fighting back against unstable free radicals in the body.
Blueberries also contain minerals essential to bone health, such as iron and zinc. Iron helps with us synthesize collagen, while zinc stimulates bone-building cells and helps keep bones healthy. Zinc also plays several key roles in the immune system – it stimulates the production of immune cells, helps regulate the body’s immune response to bacteria and viruses, and can even encourage wounds to heal.
Cooking with blueberries
It’s not hard to fit blueberries into your daily diet – they’re perfect at any temperature and found in all kinds of recipes. You can use fresh or frozen berries in smoothies or as a topping for morning oats and cereals, or bake them into pastries, pies, breads and cobblers. Even dried blueberries still have plenty of antioxidants and nutrients, so it’s easy to make sure you always have these tiny superfruits in your cupboard. For a nutritious and refreshing treat that’s guaranteed to impress, try this simple, no-churn blueberry coconut and lime ice cream.