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Monday, February 7, 2011

Frozen Blueberries

blueberries
Blueberries are among my favorite foods, and while I absolutely love fresh blueberries, there is no better or yummier way to eat them year-round than frozen.  Blueberries are all natural and low calorie; in fact, there is less than 100 calories in a whole cup of blueberries.  I recently learned that over ninety percent of the world’s blueberries are grown in North America and that Native Americans used to use blueberries for treating various ailments, including cough.


Blueberries have the highest ranking of any fruit when it comes to their antioxidant content.  This makes them potential cancer-fighters.  Their antioxidant content also boosts your immune system so that you’re not as prone to nasty things like colds.  Blueberries have also been shown to reduce belly fat and to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, although research is still ongoing.  The b-complex, zinc, magnesium and other nutrients in blueberries are also thought to keep the memory sharp.

When buying fresh blueberries, I always look for those that are firm and that have a uniform color.  I always shake the container that they are packaged in. If they move around freely, they are good. If they don’t, they may be too soft or old.  Berries with a dull color wont’ last long.

When I buy pre-packaged frozen blueberries, I always give the bag a “test shake”.  If the berries are all clumped together in the bag, that’s a good sign that they were thawed at one point and then refrozen, this is definitely not a sign of good product. 

So, back to frozen blueberries, one of my favorite treats!  When I freeze blueberries, I always remove any stems and leaves from them.  I like to freeze them first on a tray.  Once they are frozen, I pack them into a freezer-safe container, seal it and return to the freezer. 

Frozen blueberries are great on yogurt (especially fage!), in salads, in smoothies, and even alone as a very sweet and filling snack. But, I don't recommend eating them with your fingers, unless you don't mind if they turn temporarily blue.  :)

Enjoy!
Juliet

1 comment:

Cursuri Engleza said...

Last summer I found out that blueberries are potential cancer-fighters. So, I have to say that last summer I never lacked blueberries, not for a single day. They are a great substitute for other sweets and I love the fact that they are low calories. I never tried frozen blueberries, but I guess I’m going to try them soon.

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