“Wild” blueberries are technically known as lowbush blueberries. They are typically smaller and contain more of some antioxidants. They are considered to be one of the most nutrient dense berries. As a 1 cup serving of blueberries contains: 4 grams of fiber, 24% of the RDA for Vitamin C, 36% of the RDA for Vitamin K, 25% of the RDA for Manganese, and small amounts of various other nutrients.4 This entire cup only contains 84 calories, making them incredibly nutrient rich.

Many consider these lowbush blueberries to be the king of antioxidant foods. They are believed to contain the highest antioxidant capacity of all commonly consumed fruits and vegetables.5,6 The main antioxidant compounds in blueberries belong to a large family of polyphenols, called flavonoids. Flavonoids are a diverse group of phytonutrients (plant chemicals) found in almost all fruits and vegetables. Along with carotenoids, they are responsible for the vivid colors in fruits and vegetables.

What makes blueberries so effective at combating stress, has to do with one group of flavonoids in particular – Anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are the group of flavonoids that give berries like blueberries and blackberries their deep color. These antioxidants aid your brain in the production of dopamine, a chemical that is critical to coordination, memory function, and your mood. As TIME HEALTH reported:7

“Research has also shown that blueberry eaters experience a boost in natural killer cells, ‘a type of white blood cell that plays a vital role in immunity, critical for countering stress,’ says Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, Health’s contributing nutrition editor.”

  1. http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1851/2
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10995120
  3. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf801381y
  4. http://time.com/3761837/superfoods-stress-relief/

Wild Blueberry Power smoothie

Recipe via wildblueberries.com

Ingredients

  • 1 scoop protein powder (Tera’s whey, Onnit’s recovery protein, DEEP 30, Thorne protein isolate, Crik protein, or Organify protein)
  • 1/2 slice frozen banana
  • 1 cup wild frozen blueberries (or organic blueberries)
  • 1 slice of frozen or fresh ginger
  • 1 slice of frozen or fresh turmeric
  • 2 almonds
  • pinch of black pepper
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or coconut milk)

 Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth and creamy!