In Season: The Health Benefits of RED (strawberries) and BLUE (blueberries)

Did you know that those juicy strawberries and tiny blueberries pack a powerful, healthful punch?  Below are top health benefits:

 1. Improve Immune System: 1 c. of strawberries contains almost as much vitamin C as orange juice.  Blueberries have been hailed as the fruit with most antioxidants.

 2.  Prevent Cancers:  The red and blue of these berries add great color to any dish, but those bright hues are more powerful than that!  The pigments (anthocyanins in berries) are known as phytochemicals and flavonoids that rid the blood of toxins and could help to fight cancer.   

 3.  Delay Aging: Destructive free radicals cause aging in our bodies, but the antioxidants in the berries neutralize these free radicals and reduce aging effects!  These berries have been proven to slow decline from age.

 4.  Improved Vision: Our eyes decline with age, but a special group of antioxidants in berries can prevent or delay these effects.  The flavonoids from the pigments, lutein in blueberries, and vitamin-C in strawberries are critical for preserving eye health. 

 5.  Improved Brain Function & Reduce Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease: The aging mentioned above takes a toll on brain functions, including memory.  The antioxidants, vitamins and minerals in strawberries and blueberries help fight this aging by preventing neuron (brain cell) death and restoring central nervous system health.  Strawberries are also rich in folate, which could reduce Alzheimer’s risk.  

 6.  Improve cardiovascular health with high fiber: Fiber doesn’t mean the food tastes like cardboard!  Strawberries and blueberries are high in fiber.  Fiber helps reduce bad cholesterol and prevents heart disease. 

 Wow, that’s quite a nutritional punch!  Does it get any better?  Actually, it does!  The harvest is plenty for strawberries and blueberries right now.  Our stores are offering lots of these berries, and buckets (literally) of fresh, LOCAL pickings.  So, go enjoy these healthful berries in salads, smoothes, desserts and, of course, by themselves!

Ways to enjoy fresh strawberries and blueberries:

strawberries and champagne	fruit salad	yogurt parfait	red, white, and blue cake