Dried Blueberries

Naturally sweet and packed with nutrients and vitamins, these dried blueberries are perfect for baking in muffins, topping salads or delicious by themselves!

In the U.S. diet, blueberries are ranked with the highest antioxidant capacities when compared to all fruits, vegetables, spices, and seasonings. In fact these wonderful delights are referred to as a superfood due to the abundance of health benefits. Blueberries were popular with native Americans hundreds of years ago. To this day they maintain their popularity all over the world, from Asia, the Mediterranean, Europe, South America and North America. Like all other berries, blueberries are seasonal which makes dried blueberries so excellent. Regardless of the time of year, dried blueberries are easy to store and still full of nutrients and high levels of antioxidants. They are easy to incorporate into snacks, meals, and treats.

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SOURCE: Regardless of whether you eat blueberries fresh or dried, the antioxidant nutritional level is not impacted. A study in The Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology concentrated on the impact that freezing and drying has on the antioxidant levels of fresh blueberries. When the study was complete, the measured and comparable differences were not significant. One result of free radical damage is inflammation in the body, which is the source of many aches, pains and ailments in the body. Since blueberries are full of antioxidants and contain an array of antioxidants, they are a great natural anti-inflammatory resource.

BRAIN FUNCTION: It is the antioxidant anthocyanins that give blueberries the colorful pigment of blue. Anthocyanin is also the antioxidant that makes blueberries famous for improved brain function. A study published in “Journal of Neuroscience” in 1999 looked at the effects of anthocyanins in laboratory animals and found that those given the anthocyanins were less likely to suffer from age-related motor function and memory loss. It was noted that the loss of brain fat is a marker of the brain aging and blueberry extract helped reverse the effect.

CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION: Recent research has shown that the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in blueberries can help with cardioprotection. The inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) variation is associated with increased inflammation, however, the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) found in blueberries is associated with better cardiovascular function. Blueberries are also known to support and maintain healthy blood pressure when consumed regularly.

TOP KITCHEN USES: Dried fruits are easy to store. Dried blueberries are a great staple food in the kitchen for high energy snacks, baking as well as salads and other dishes. They are great in breakfast entrees such as waffle or pancake batter, in cold or hot cereals, and morning smoothies. Dried blueberries add a delightful punch of flavor and a lovely blue color.