Superfood. You’ve heard it before. Walk down any aisle in a grocery store and you’re guaranteed to find something that has this trendy term on its label. It almost seems like every other week the coveted title of ‘superfood’ is passed on from one unassuming food to the next. Salmon, green tea, quinoa, açai… the list goes on, and just keeps on growing. But what really makes something deserving of being called a superfood?
Enter the humble BC blueberry. Boasting benefits such as natural anti-inflammatory properties, high levels of antioxidants and bursting with essential vitamins and minerals, the blueberry is a superfood worthy of its title. There is a lot of ongoing scientific research on this little berry, so let’s break down what blueberries can do for you and your health.
Antioxidants are a naturally occurring substance found in certain foods that help protect your body from free radicals. Free radicals are associated with diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and cancer. The bright, rich hue of the blueberry comes from a high level of these antioxidant compounds. By including blueberries in your diet, you may help your body prevent a variety of diseases.
Despite being low in calories – one cup of blueberries contains as little as approximately 40 calories – these berries are packed to the brim with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, manganese and fibre.
Vitamin C plays an important role in your body, promoting wound repair as well as being essential to tissue growth and development. Manganese aides in brain function and helps to process carbohydrates and cholesterol. The fibre in these berries will help with digestion and make you feel full after a meal.
With peak blueberry season lasting only a handful of weeks in the summer, it can be difficult to enjoy the maximum flavour & nutritional benefits during other times of the year. That’s why at Valley Select, we pick blueberries during their prime freshness to get the most nutrients and sweetness. These berries are then quickly frozen at an in-house refrigeration facility, ensuring the highest quality of freshness and nutritional quality that can be a part of your healthy, balanced diet at any time throughout the year.
Packed with important nutrients for your everyday well-being, blueberries are a local BC delicacy that more than earn the coveted title of superfood. Valley Select frozen blueberries are a delicious and simple way to incorporate this disease-preventing, health-boosting superfood into your diet.