Fuel your brain with blueberries
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness Month.
Brain health is important at every age in the lifecycle, but especially relevant for older adults. Many factors such as sleep, daily movement, and more play a role in keeping our body’s command center performing at its best — and nutrition is no exception. Evidence suggests that eating a diet containing a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans and seafood during adulthood is associated with lower risk of age-related cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Did you know that nature’s favorite berry — the blueberry — may have a role to play, too? You heard that right. In fact, a growing body of scientific evidence is examining how blueberries can be part of eating patterns to support brain health, especially as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.
Let’s show our brains a little extra love for Brain Health Month. Check out these top 10 ways to grab a boost of blue to fuel your noggin:
- Dip into frozen yogurt to create frozen bites, or make your own frozen yogurt cups.
- Cook down into sauces to top salmon, chicken, or any lean protein.
- Add to salsa for a sweet, fruity touch and dip in!
- Blend frozen blueberries with a sweetener of choice and water (as needed) to make a sorbet. Freeze until hard and add a scoop to seltzer, kombucha, champagne or beverage of choice.
- Puree and mix with olive oil, balsamic vinegar for a tangy salad dressing.
- Boil frozen blueberries with honey or sweetener of choice for five minutes to create a jam-like sauce that can be added to lattes or cocktails.
- Whip into overnight oats for a filling and delicious breakfast.
- Pair with lean protein or other grill-worthy fruits like pineapple or peaches for a summer kabob.
- Roll into homemade fruit leather for a tasty treat.
- Add as a novel ingredient to your savory food faves – like pizza and nachos.
For more blueberry inspiration, check out PBH's recipe collection and blueberry.org.
This article is brought to you by the Produce for Better Health Foundation and the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.