Imagine a life where we could all sit around with friends and family sipping a glass of red wine and popping juicy little blueberries into our mouth all day. While we know this isn’t an option for most of us, scientists have discovered that the nutrients found in these two plants can extend our life and make us look younger.
But it's the humble blueberry that takes centre stage here. Scientists have been studying blueberries since the early 1990s but have only just recently dubbed it the healthiest food in the world. Some have now changed the saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ to saying ‘a PUNNET a day keeps the doctor away’. That’s a pretty good reputation to earn!
So why are blueberries so good for us?
We've known for nearly 30 years that they are a food source with one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants on the planet. But antioxidants are not the be all and end all anymore. What is it that has taken this humble berry to its lofty status?
Scientists have discovered a unique phytonutrient in blueberries call pterostilbene. This is one of two compounds found in the stilbenoid family of phytochemicals. The other member of the family is resveratrol, which we have all heard of concentrated in wine and grapes. Grapes and blueberries contain both of these powerful phytonutrients. However, while resveratrol can be found in blueberries and pterostilbene can be found in wine, it is the ‘concentration’ in the edible fruit that makes the difference. Only small amounts of pterostilbene can be isolated in the grape as it's mostly found in the vine stems not in the fruit itself. Conversely, large amounts of pterostilbene have been discovered in blueberries giving this little berry the ability to punch well above its weight in health promotion and life extension.
Over 17 various phytonutrients have been found in the blueberry making it one of the most nutrient rich foods in the world. Studies have confirmed blueberries benefits in many chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, memory decline and skin damage. These benefits are attributed to the high antioxidant content of blueberries and the ability to reduce the damage caused to the cells from free radicals.
But it’s the anti-ageing properties of the blueberry that excites us the most. Scientists are now studying the effect of pterostilbene on the mitochondria and DNA of our cells. The benefits are amazing, blocking DNA damage, cancer prevention and increased survival rates, and regulation of various gene expressions leading to sirtuin activation and DNA repair.
So how much and how often should we really be consuming blueberries. The good news is that frozen and fresh blueberries promote similar health benefits and we should be eating them every day of our lives. Recent studies have found that organic blueberries contain the most concentrated amounts of the anthocyanins (what makes them blue), flavonols and stilbenoids.
We're excited to be able to add organic blueberries to our blends and we've got your daily serve covered. This makes it super easy to get all of blueberries' powerful phytonutrients on a daily basis to live a longer and healthier life.
