It’s July, it’s hot, it’s humid, but look on the bright side, it’s blueberry season. Summertime may mean hot and humid days, but it also means gardens flowing with fresh fruits and vegetables. June-July is peak blueberry season. Blueberries are naturally sweet and provide a wealth of nutritional benefits. Not only are blueberries an excellent source of vitamin C, Vitamin K and manganese, they are a good source of dietary fiber as well. But the nutritional benefits don’t stop there. Blueberries are among the fruits highest in antioxidant power. They also contain numerous phytochemicals, many of which are well studied in the laboratory. Phytochemicals are chemical compounds found naturally in plants and are responsible for giving the plant its color. Phytochemicals have been shown to have cancer fighting properties as well. Blueberries contain several phytochemicals: anthocyanins, catechins, quercetin, kaempferol, Ellagitannins and ellagic acid. Don’t worry, you don’t need to memorize all the names of all those phytochemicals, all you need to know is that blueberries have the potential to lower your risk of certain cancers. Blueberries are a versatile fruit and can be enjoyed hot, cold and in your favorite summertime beverage. Blueberries also freeze well. I encourage you to buy now and freeze for later—a warm blueberry cobbler never tasted so good on a cold winter’s night than made with fresh frozen blueberries.
Checkout this recipe for Blueberry Quesadilla.
