Blueberries

While all fruits and vegetables contain good-for-you nutrients, blueberries may pack the biggest health punch. They are tops in free-radical-busting antioxidant activity when compared to 40 other fruits and vegetables, according to the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston. "These little fruits are superheroes," says Jennifer Meengs of the Laboratory for the Study of Human Ingestive Behavior at Penn State. "They're packed with chemicals that can help fight disease."

Though many of the studies are in very early stages, blueberries may help ward off heart disease, cancer and age-related memory changes, among other ailments. For example, research presented at the American Chemical Society this past March, showed that a key antioxidant found in blueberries, pterostilbene, can help mop up free radicals triggering colon-cancer growth.  Blueberries may also help with heart health, protecting the body against LDL- cholesterol, the so-called "bad" cholesterol that contributes to cardiovascular disease and stroke. Rutgers University researchers found that epicatechin, another antioxidant found in blueberries, helps prevent urinary-tract infections by preventing bacteria from adhering to cells lining the urinary tract. Several studies show that blueberries may help improve eyesight. And the little berries may even help with age-related motor changes and improve memory.

While all species of blueberries are stuffed with antioxidants, the wild ones contain more of the free-radical-fighting chemicals than the more familiar cultivated blueberry. Wild blueberries are smaller, darker and have a more intense taste than their cultivated cousins. Both types are available at grocery stores, but wild blueberries are often more expensive.  To get the most health benefits from either the wild or cultivated versions, opt for fresh or frozen berries instead of highly processed or baked forms, which, researchers at the University of Arkansas have found to have somewhat lower levels of antioxidants.

The benefits of blueberries don't stop with health-boosting antioxidants.  They are also a great diet food—low in calories (one cup is a measly 81 calories) and full of fiber and vitamins A and C.  "There isn't a downside," says nutritionist Keith Ayoob of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "Their nutritional profile is incredible. What's not to like?"

© 2007