One cup of blueberries contains 14% DV of fiber 2.41 g per 100g. High nutrition, low calorie value. 83 calories in 1/3 cup of blueberries.
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Calories and Nutrition in Apples
Calories and Nutrition in Apricots
Calories and Nutrition in Avocados
Calories and Nutrition in a Banana
Calories and Nutrition in Blackberries
Calories and Nutrition in Blueberries
Calories and Nutrition in Cherries
Calories and Nutrition in Cranberries
Calories and Nutrition in Dates
Calories and Nutrition in Grapes
Calories and Nutrition in Grapefruit
Calories and Nutrition in A Kiwi
Calories and Nutrition in Lemon
Calories and Nutrition in Litchis
Calories and Nutrition in A Mango
Calories and Nutrition in A Honeydew Melon
Calories and Nutrition in Cantaloupe
Calories and Nutrition in Olives
Calories and Nutrition in Papaya
Calories and Nutrition in Peaches
Calories and Nutrition in a Pear
Calories and Nutrition in Pineapple
Calories and Nutrition in a Pluot
Calories and Nutrition in Plums
Calories and Nutrition in Strawberries
Calories and Nutrition in a Tangerine
Calories and Nutrition in Watermelon
Blueberries are a source of Vitamins A and C, potassium and folate
Blueberries are very low in fat and sodium
http://www.blueberry.org/nutrition.htm
Orange Blueberry Soup Veg CD SP 25mins plus chilling
Serves 4 Cold Vegetarian Fruit Soups Gluten Wheat free Eggless
Ingredients
275g/10oz Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
720ml/24fl.oz. Orange Juice
25g/1oz Brown Sugar
1 x 2-inch Cinnamon stick
1 tbsp Cornflour
2 tbsp Water
1 tbsp Grated Orange Zest
4 tbsp Plain Yoghurt or Crème Frâiche to garnish
Mint leaves to garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Place the blueberries, orange juice, brown sugar and cinnamon in a large saucepan and bring to the boil mixing well.
2. Reduce the heat then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.
3. Dissolve cornflour with the water and gradually stir into blueberry mixture. Raise the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until clear and lightly thickened.
4. Allow to get cold then remove the cinnamon stick, transfer to a bowl and chill for 6-8 hours.
Just before serving, swirl in the yogurt or add a dollop of crème frâiche and garnish with the mint if using.
http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Soups/Orange%20Blueberry%20Soup%20Veg%20CD%20SP.htm
Scientists have discovered many health benefits from eating blueberries. They are one of the richest sources of antioxidants of the fruits and vegetables that have been studied. Antioxidants are responsible in part for keeping us healthily and young. They help fight cell damaging "free radicals". Free radicals are unstable substances that our bodies produce as we get older. They damage human cells and our DNA. US scientists have shown that the antioxidants contained in Blueberries help to slow th ageing process and reduce the risk of cancer.
The antioxidants are contained in "Anthocyanins" (Greek word meaning "plant" and "blue") these are the reason why Blueberries are Blue ! They are responsible for the Blue colour of the fruit. Strawberries and Spinach also contain high levels of antioxidants.
Chemical studies in the US by the Agricultural Research Service have very recently revealed that Blueberries (as well as strawberries and raspberries) contain chemicals that decreased the growth of cervical and breast cancer cells by a considerable percentage.
Blueberries have also found to contain resveratrol, another potential anti-cancer agent.
Blueberries have also shown to not only halt the ageing process but actually reverse it ! Experiments have also indicated that eating Blueberries improves short term memory loss and improves balance and co-ordination.
Blueberries are literally bursting with nutrients and flavor, yetvery low in calories. Recently, researchers at Tufts Universityanalyzed 60 fruits and vegetables for their antioxidant capability.Blueberries came out on top, rating highest in their capacity todestroy free radicals.
An Antioxidant Powerhouse
Packed with antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanidins,blueberries neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix ofcells and tissues that can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins,hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, heart disease and cancer. Anthocyanins, theblue-red pigments found in blueberries, improve the integrity ofsupport structures in the veins and entire vascular system.Anthocyanins have been shown to enhance the effects of vitamin C,improve capillary integrity, and stabilize the collagen matrix (theground substance of all body tissues). They work their protective magicby preventing free-radical damage, inhibiting enzymes from cleaving thecollagen matrix, and directly cross-linking with collagen fibers toform a more stable collagen matrix.Cardioprotective Action
While wine, particularly red wine, istouted as cardioprotective since it is a good source of antioxidantanthocyanins, a recent study found that blueberries deliver 38% more ofthese free radical fighters. In this study, published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry,researchers found that a moderate drink (about 4 ounces) of white winecontained .47 mmol of free radical absorbing antioxidants, red wineprovided 2.04 mmol, and a wine made from highbush blueberries delivered2.42 mmol of these protective plant compounds.
A Visionary Fruit
Extracts of bilberry (a cousin of blueberry) have been shown innumerous studies to improve nighttime visual acuity and promote quickeradjustment to darkness and faster restoration of visual acuity afterexposure to glare. This research was conducted to evaluate claims ofbilberry's beneficial effects on night vision made by British Air Forcepilots during World War II who regularly consumed bilberry preservesbefore their night missions.Protection against Macular Degeneration
Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright asa child, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more importantfor keeping your sight. Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmologyindicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may loweryour risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary causeof vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consumeless than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.
In this study, which involved over 110,000 women and men,researchers evaluated the effect of study participants' consumption offruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; andcarotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, amore severe form of the illness associated with vision loss. Foodintake information was collected periodically for up to 18 years forwomen and 12 years for men.
While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidantvitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence ofeither form of ARMD, fruit intake was definitely protective against thesevere form of this vision-destroying disease.Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but bysimply topping off a cup of yogurt or green salad with a half cup ofblueberries, tossing a banana into your morning smoothie or slicing itover your cereal, and snacking on an apple, plum, nectarine or pear,you've reached this goal.
A Better Brain with Blueberries
In laboratory animal studies, researchers have found thatblueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reducethe effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease ordementia. Researchers found that diets rich in blueberriessignificantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills ofaging animals, making them mentally equivalent to much younger ones.
Promotion of Gastrointestinal Health
In addition to their powerful anthocyanins, blueberries contain another antioxidant compound called ellagic acid,which blocks metabolic pathways that can lead to cancer. In a study ofover 1,200 elderly people, those who ate the most strawberries (anotherberry that contains ellagic acid) were three times less likely todevelop cancer than those who ate few or no strawberries. In additionto containing ellagic acid, blueberries are high in the soluble fiberpectin, which has been shown to lower cholesterol and to prevent bileacid from being transformed into a potentially cancer-causing form.Laboratory studies published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistryshow that phenolic compounds in blueberries can inhibit colon cancercell proliferation and induce apoptosis (programmed cell death).
Extracts were made of the blueberry phenols, which werefreeze-dried and further separated into phenolic acids, tannins,flavonols, and anthocyanins. Then the dried extracts and fractions wereadded to cell cultures containing two colon cancer cell lines, HT-29and Caco-2.
In concentrations normally found in laboratory animal plasmaafter eating blueberries, anthyocyanin fractions increased DNAfragmentation (a sign that apoptosis or cell death had been triggered)by 2-7 times. Flavonol and tannin fractions cut cell proliferation inhalf at concentrations of 70-100 and 50-100 microg/mL, while thephenolic fraction was also effective, but less potent, reducingproliferation by half at concentrations of 1000 microg/mL.Bottomline: eating blueberries may reduce colon cancer risk.
Healthier Elimination
Blueberries can help relieve both diarrhea and constipation. Inaddition to soluble and insoluble fiber, blueberries also containtannins, which act as astringents in the digestive system to reduceinflammation. Blueberries also promote urinary tract health.Blueberries contain the same compounds found in cranberriesthat help prevent or eliminate urinary tract infections. In order forbacteria to infect, they must first adhere to the mucosal lining of theurethra and bladder. Components found in cranberry and blueberry juicereduce the ability of E. coli, the bacteria that is the most common cause of urinary tract infections, to adhere.
Description
Blueberries are the fruits of a shrub that belong to the heath (Ericaceae) family whose other members include the cranberryand bilberry as well as the azalea, mountain laurel and rhododendron.Blueberries grow in clusters and range in size from that of a small peato a marble. They are deep in color, ranging from blue to maroon topurple-black, and feature a white-gray waxy "bloom" that covers theberry's surface and serves as a protective coat. The skin surrounds asemi-transparent flesh that encases tiny seeds. Cultivated blueberriesare typically mildly sweet, while those that grow wild have a more tartand tangy flavor.
History
Blueberries are native to North America where they grow throughoutthe woods and mountainous regions in the United States and Canada. Thisfruit is rarely found growing in Europe and has only been recentlyintroduced in Australia.
There are approximately 30 different species of blueberrieswith different ones growing throughout various regions. For example,the Highbush variety can be found throughout the Eastern seaboard fromMaine to Florida, the Lowbush variety throughout the Northeast andEastern Canada, and the Evergreen variety throughout states in thePacific Northwest.
While blueberries played an important role in North AmericanIndian food culture, being an ingredient in pemmican, a traditionaldish composed of the fruit and dried meat, they were not consumed ingreat amounts by the colonists until the mid-19th century. This seemsto be related to the fact that people did not appreciate their tartflavor, and only when sugar became more widely available as a sweetenerat this time, did they become more popular.
Blueberries were not cultivated until the beginning of the 20thcentury, becoming commercially available in 1916. Cultivation ofblueberries was spearheaded by a botanist at the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture who pioneered research into blueberryproduction. His work was forwarded by Elizabeth White, whose familyestablished the first commercial blueberry fields.
How to Select and Store
Choose blueberries that are firm and have a lively, uniform huecolored with a whitish bloom. Shake the container, noticing whether theberries have the tendency to move freely; if they do not, this mayindicate that they are soft and damaged or moldy. Avoid berries thatappear dull in color or are soft and watery in texture. They should befree from moisture since the presence of water will cause the berriesto decay. When purchasing frozen berries, shake the bag gently toensure that the berries move freely and are not clumped together, whichmay suggest that they have been thawed and refrozen. Blueberries thatare cultivated in the United States are available from May throughOctober while imported berries may be found at other times of the year.
Ripe blueberries should be stored in a covered container in therefrigerator where they will keep for about a week, although they willbe freshest if consumed within a few days. Always check berries beforestoring and remove any damaged berries to prevent the spread of mold.But don't wash berries until right before eating as washing will removethe bloom that protects the berries' skins from degradation. If keptout at room temperature for more than a day, the berries may spoil.
Ripe berries can also be frozen, although this will slightlychange their texture and flavor. Before freezing, wash, drain andremove any damaged berries. To better ensure uniform texture uponthawing, spread the berries out on a cookie sheet or baking pan, placein the freezer until frozen, then put the berries in a plastic bag forstorage in the freezer. Berries should last up to a year in thefreezer.Baby foods containing berries are bereft of anthocyanins, thewater-soluble plant pigments responsible not only for the blue, purple,and red color of berries, but also for many of their health benefits.
Anthocyanins are found in fresh and frozen berries, but not in processed foods.
A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistryfound anthocyanins were almost undetectable in canned foods, bread,cereals, and baby foods containing berries, even in baby foods preparedfrom fruits high in anthocyanins, such as blueberries.
This may be due to anthocyanins' unique chemical structure,which renders them unstable even at a neutral pH and therefore muchmore susceptible to destruction during processing than otherphytonutrients, such as proanthocyanidins.To give your children the full health benefits of berries, purchasefresh or frozen berries and purée them.
