Spotlight #1: I'm Blue...

Good morning!! Ahhhh, it's summertime, & we now have the heat & humidity to prove it...unfortunately. But, summertime also means plenty of sun, pools & beaches, as well as a plethora of fruits and vegetables that thrive this time of year. For the next few weeks, I hope to be able to focus on a very special ingredient that really comes into its own during the warm summer months.

What is this ingredient? Here's a hint: remember the Blue Man Group song I'm Blue? If fruits had a theme song, that would be the most likely candidate for this fruit (even though it's technically purple...) It's full of antioxidants, vitamins, and it's pretty tasty on its own to boot! Have you figured out what it is yet?

This segment's theme ingredient is.....*drum rolls*

Blueberries!!!

That's right, I'm gonna focus on the round little purple jewel that is overly abundant this time of year. It's great fresh, and pretty good frozen - I'm gonna focus my next few posts on this wonderful little summer fruit! I'm excited, & I hope you are too.

Blueberries as a species are estimated to be about 13,000 years old, and are indigenous to North America. By the time the Europeans arrived, the Native Americans had already found various uses and preparations for blueberries, such as drying, grinding into powder, adding whole to soups and stews, and even for medicinal purposes. Interestingly, the Native Americans referred to blueberries as "star berries", because of the star-shaped blossom end of the fruit. Europeans used bilberries, a close relative to the blueberry, in various forms for medicinal uses as well; they used the roots to make a tea that helped women relax while giving birth, made a syrup to soothe coughs, and ate the berries to improve eyesight.

Blueberries have all sorts of health benefits, and can be enjoyed in various forms; however, you will get the most nutritional benefit from eating them raw. Blueberries contain more anti-oxidants than any other fruit or vegetable, which fight free radicals in our bodies and help prevent damage on the cellular level. Blueberries contain vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K, as well as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, choline and betaine. In addition, they contain protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium. Blueberries have been found to improve memory

The bluish-purple pigment is caused by the presence of anthocyanins, which are antioxidant compounds that give several foods their blue, purple, and red hues. Since anthocyanin concentrations don't significantly decrease as a result of freezing, you can freeze fresh berries without having to worry about a lessened antioxidant benefit. Also, blueberries have a low glycemic index (GI), and have been found to positively affect blood sugar regulation for people that have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. So, with all that said, eat as many blueberries as you can!! The time is right, and they are just ripe for the picking! (Sorry...I couldn't resist! *giggle*) Live life, and eat well!

Sources:
http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/blueberry-facts/history-of-blueberries/
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1851/2
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=8

*Side note: I just want to say that I am deeply saddened by the fact that Zimmerman was found not guilty yesterday; my prayers go out to the Martin family, Trayvon's friends, and the black youth across this country. I can only hope that we can use the hurt and pain we feel to cause positive change for our generations, as well as future generations within this country.