As dietitians, we live by the mantra that food is medicine and when we get asked about blueberries, we always have a lot to say. These tasty little berries contain high levels of antioxidants, which play a powerful role in helping to fight disease and oxidative stress within our bodies, protecting us from getting sick. One antioxidant in particular, anthocyanin, is responsible for their beautiful velvety blue colour. These nutritional powerhouses also contain beta-carotene, which is converted to Vitamin A in our body and is important for reproduction, our immune system and also our eyesight. Blueberries also have a low Glycemic Index (GI), which means they won’t spike your blood sugar levels. This makes them an ideal snack, especially for people with diabetes or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
Given we’re huge fans, check out 5 of our favourite ways to enjoy these delicious fruits!
1. Blueberries & Greek Yoghurt
If there’s one snack dietitians love - it’s Greek yoghurt with blueberries. This is a perfect high protein post-workout snack combo, which will replenish your muscle stores and keep you feeling satisfied until your next meal.
2. Blueberry Pancakes
Homemade pancakes never tasted so good! Drizzle a cup of fresh blueberries onto your pancake stack or pour blueberries into the mixture before pouring onto the pan. We always try and use a wholegrain based flour, as this adds more fibre and protein to the pancakes - making them a whole lot healthier! Check out our Teff Blueberry pancake recipe here.
3. Blueberry Chia Jam
Before you turn away because making jam is too onerous - try our 2 step chia seed jam recipe! Due to the strong water absorbing property of chia seeds, you can get blueberry chia jam with minimal effort in a very little time! Grab our healthy blueberry chia jam recipe here.
4. Blueberry Popsicles
Summer is coming and what better way to cool down than with a DIY popsicle! For some natural fun and colour, pop a small handful of blueberries into each popsicle mold and fill with either fresh juice, Greek yoghurt, pureed fruit or even water. Check out our DIY fruit popsicle recipe here.
5. Blueberries, Lemon and Ricotta On Toast
Have you ever tried blueberries on toast? If not, you need to fix that right away! Simply spread a layer of low-fat ricotta on a piece of wholegrain toast (or fruit toast) and the top it with fresh blueberries and even some nuts (e.g. almonds, pine nuts, macadamia). To finish it off, simply squeeze some fresh lemon over the top! Sometimes we mix it up a little by adding honey and cinnamon for a sweeter finish!
