How To Add More Blueberries To Your Diet

Food

By Subodh

The tiny, dark blue skinned blueberries are touted to be one of the best super foods available in this world. These tiny versatile, healthy, and low calorie fruits taste great and bring with them a wide array of benefits for your health. From smoothies and milkshakes to cakes and porridge and cookies, there are countless varieties you could add blueberries to your diet. Before we delve into some yummy recipes to use these tiny fruits, here are some solid reasons for adding them into your diet.

Why Should You Eat Blueberries?

Packed generously with a wide array of antioxidants and essential nutrients, blueberries offer numerous health benefits. These berries

1. Shield your heart by preventing atherosclerosis and such cardiovascular conditions
2. Thwarts off the risk of various types of cancer
3. Are packed with vitamin C and manganese
4. Are good for your digestive system with 1 cup yielding 4 grams fiber
5. Improve insulin sensitivity
6. Lower blood pressure levels
7. Helps in weight loss
8. Improves memory, focus, and concentration

Ways to Include Blueberries In Your Diet

1. Whip Up A Smoothie

This, perhaps, could be the tastiest and healthiest way of getting the berries right. One cup of blueberries blended with 1 glass low fat milk or yogurt and a handful of soaked almonds make a precious and wholesome breakfast. Avoid using full cream milk or ice cream to thicken your shake. You could add some peanut butter or chia seeds or flax seeds for a thicker drink.

2. Munch Them Up As Salad

Give your salad an extra zing by tossing in a handful of blueberries. You could mix it easily in your fruit as well as veggie salad. And the good news here is that blueberries could help you eliminate the use of calorie rich dressings to zest up your salad. Here is the recipe for my favorite blueberry salad!

Ingredients

Pineapple – ¼ cup, cubed
Pomegranate seeds – ¼ cup
Green apples – 1 cup, cubed
Orange – 12 slices, roughly chopped
Blueberries – 1 cup
Low fat cottage cheese – ½ cup, cubed
White pepper – to taste

How To

1. Toss all the ingredients except pepper and blueberries well in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add blueberries and toss once.
3. Serve in individual bowls with white pepper for added zing.
4. Include It In Your Breakfast

Toss in blueberries into your oatmeal or quinoa porridge for a tastier and complete breakfast option.

3. Blueberry Whole Grain Pancake

Ingredients

1. Whole wheat flour – 1/3 cup
2. Honey – 1/2 cup
3. Baking powder – 1 1/4 tsp
4. Salt – a pinch
5. Egg – 2, medium sized
6. Non-fat milk – 1 ¼ cup
7. Fresh blueberries – 2 cups
8. Unsalted butter – 1 tsp

How To

1. Sieve flour with baking powder and salt, twice, and keep aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, butter and honey to get a smooth mixture.
3. Add the dry ingredients and milk alternatively to the egg mixture and beat until smooth.
4. Fold in the blueberries.
5. Slightly grease a griddle and heat it to 350 Degree F.
6. Pour about a quarter cup of the batter for one pancake and cook on low to medium heat until the edge turn dry and batter starts bubbling.
7. Flip and cook for a minute more.

Serve hot with a generous drizzle of honey.

4. Healthy Desserts

You can easily incorporate these fresh antioxidant powerhouse into your desserts to give them a healthy twist in a tasty way. This blueberry coconut popsicle is a great way to get your daily dose of antioxidants.

Ingredients

Blueberries – 2 cups, fresh
Water – 2 tbsp
Honey – 4 tbsp + 3 tbsp
Coconut milk – 1 cup, canned
Almond milk – 2/3 cup

How To:

1. Wash the blueberries thoroughly and keep aside.
2. Add blueberries and 4 tbsp honey to a small sauce pot.
3. Add water and boil the mixture until it becomes thick and syrupy. Keep aside. Let the berries remain as they are.
4. In a small mixing bowl, whisk coconut milk, almond milk, and rest of the honey thoroughly.
5. Fill the popsicle molds with almost 2/3rd with the milk and honey mixture.
6. Spoon in the blueberry mixture and fill the mold.
7. Place the popsicle mold in the freezer and freeze for an hour.
8. Remove from the freezer after an hour.
9. Insert a popsicle stick into the cavity and re-freeze for 6 hours or until set.
   Serve the treat.

So how would you like to include blueberries in your diet? Share with us.