by Greg Spinks

Created on: July 16, 2009   Last Updated: July 19, 2009

Getting the kitchen blues is actually very good and healthy. Native blueberries are one of the best and most important health foods that grow throughout much of northern North America either as domesticated bush, or in the wild. In recent decades, blueberries have been developed and planted in warmer climates, such as Florida, where the harvest can begin as early as mid-April.

That is good for health conscious consumers. Fresh and healthy blueberries are available from early spring right up until sometime in October when the Canadian crops mature. Fresh blueberries can be found most of the year in supermarkets or purchased locally during a regional harvest season at farm markets and roadside stands. Out of season, blueberries can usually be found in a frozen food section at the supermarket.

Today, there is an increasing demand among consumers for blueberries because of their high nutritional value and their wide range of uses in the kitchen. In 2009, over 1,300 new blueberry products were introduced compared to just over 300 in 2000.

The message is clear, blueberries are a good health food, with more good health news likely to come. Some of the most recent health news was released in the spring of 2009. Researchers at the University of Michigan released results of a study which suggests a diet which includes blueberries may be significant in reducing belly fat.

Good news for weight watchers, a better diet food. In a test diet consisting of blueberries, researchers noticed a reduction of abdominal fats or belly fat. The unhealthy fat is related and can lead to heart disease and diabetes. Blueberries also lowered cholesterol and improved glucose, researchers found in the same study. More testing is planned on the significance and implications of the good health report on blueberries and diet.

The recent benefits of eating blueberries by the University of Michigan comes as more good news on top of previous good news for the highly rich antioxident blueberries. At Rutgers University studies indicate that blueberries help enhance a healthy urinary tract and thwart urinary infections.

The British Journal of Nutrition, in 2007, also reported on a study which indicates a diet rich in blueberries, about two cups per day for an adult, significantly reduced cholesterol levels. The USDA recommends eating one to two and a half cups of fruit every day depending on age, gender and activity level.

Other studies at a USDA Human Nutrition Resource

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>