Blueberries aren't just a super food they're "superheroes"
(Photos: GardeningGuide.com)

New Jersey Blueberries are in season and make a great addition to healthy eating.

Blueberries were recently ranked number one in antioxidant activity in a study conducted by researchers at Tufts University. Jennifer Meengs, from the Laboratory for the Study of Human Ingestive Behavior at Penn State, reports that blueberries are “superheroes” packed with chemicals that can help fight disease."

Blueberries contain important phytonutrients including anthocyanidins and phenolics which inhibit free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues that can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, heart disease and many cancers, especially ovarian cancer. The American Chemical Society reports that a key antioxidant found in blueberries, pterostilbene, can also help to neutralize free radicals responsible for triggering colon-cancer growth.

 In a study conducted by the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center laboratory, neuroscientists discovered that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging animals, making them mentally equivalent to much younger ones. Blueberries are considered an “anti-aging” food.

Blueberries are also high in fiber and tannins which help reduce inflammation in the digestive track and aid in elimination. Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey have identified compounds in blueberries called proanthocyanidins that promote urinary tract health and reduce the risk of infection by preventing bacteria, particularly E. coli, from adhering to the cells that line the walls of the urinary tract. 

Blueberries are nutritious, high in vitamins C and A as well as the mineral manganese.