February is Heart Month so ensure you're feeding your body everything it needs for a healthy ticker. Consuming just one cup of British Columbia-grown blueberries each day is a great start!
It is common knowledge that blueberries are known as a "superfood" for their various health benefits. A new study has shown that adding a handful of blueberries to your daily diet could decrease the risk of heart disease. One cup of blueberries every day could reduce blood pressure and stiffening of arteries,which have strong links to heart attacks and strokes. [1]
Previous research has revealed polyphenolsgreatly increase the disease-fighting power of the blueberry. The anti-inflammatory actions of polyphenols have been linked to a wide range of health benefits and improved treatment outcomes in a large number of age-related illnesses, cardiovascular illnesses such as ischemic stroke[2]; metabolic syndrome, a frequent precursor to heart disease, stroke and diabetes[3].
BC blueberries are an easy and delicious addition to your daily diet, even during the winter. Frozen blueberries can be found in the freezer aisle of your local grocery store and can easily be incorporated into breakfast beyond the typical smoothie.
Heart-healthy recipes featuring B.C. blueberries can be found at BCblueberry.com.