Blueberries are a commonly talked about source of antioxidants, but do you know which antioxidants are packed into these berries?
Blueberries Are #1 For Antioxidants
When it comes to fighting free radicals, blueberries are the way to go. In fact, blueberries contain more antioxidants than any other type of fruit you could possibly find. Wild blueberries are by far the best source of antioxidants, including vitamins A and C (which have antioxidants properties) and flavinoids like querticin.
The pigments that make blueberries, well, blue, called anthocyanins, also play a role as antioxidants. They help repair cells, fight cancer, and lower levels of inflammation within the body.
In fact, just one cup of wild blueberries contains ten times the daily recommended suggestion for antioxidants. Cultivated blueberries contain fewer antioxidants than those found in the wild, but they’re still among the top fruit sources of antioxidants.
Check out this infographic to see just how many ways blueberries are good for you:
Clearly, there’s more to blueberries than antioxidants. A cup of blueberries will provide you with about 14% of the daily recommended intake of dietary fiber, which has been shown to not only keep you feeling fuller longer, but also reduce the incidence of heart disease.
Blueberries are also rich in other nutrients, like manganese. This mineral is crucial for protecting the bones from osteoporosis, and also enables your body to create usable energy out of the food that you put into it. The many phytonutrients in blueberries also work to protect the body from inflammation, which is likely to be a root cause of most chronic diseases.
The best part? Blueberries contain less than 100 calories in a cup, so they’re a perfect snack that will boost your health without expanding your waistline.
Sources:
- https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf071988k
- https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/blueberries-nutritious-things-come-in-small-packages_
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/antioxidants-in-fruits?page=2
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/superfoods-everyone-needs