Health & Nutrition Archives - Page 6 of 33

Fight Flu Season with Immune-Boosting Wild Blueberry Smoothies

Cold and flu season arrived early this year and it has already been a bad one. Experts are calling it the worst flu season in years. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), all U.S. states except for Hawaii are under siege and reporting widespread flu activity. And relief doesn’t appear to be in site yet with the CDC anticipating another 11 to 13 weeks of it

If you’re like me, you want to fend off the flu and nasty winter colds for your family. At my house that means adding more immune-boosting recipes to my meal plan, making sure everyone gets plenty of rest, stays hydrated and washes their hands frequently. To help your family stay healthy this cold and flu season, try these three delicious Wild Blueberry immune-boosting smoothies packed full of antioxidants and Vitamin C. Plus, smoothies are an easy way to get a nutrient rich meal or snack even during the winter months.

This Wild Blueberry Beet Smoothie is loaded with antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory properties, that will boost your immune system and help you fight many of the pesky germs that come with cold and flu season. The immune-boosting ingredients in this smoothie include frozen Wild Blueberries, which have double the antioxidants of regular blueberries; beets and ginger root, which also provide an antioxidant punch and anti-inflammatory compounds. Combined with 100% real orange juice with all its Vitamin C power and Greek yogurt that provides healthy bacteria for your gut, you’ll feel like a superhero fighting against whatever mother nature throws your way.

Here’s another delicious Wild Blueberry Smoothie recipe to add to your daily routine, especially during cold and flu season. We call it our Cold Fighting Wild Blueberry Smoothie because its ingredients — fresh ginger, green tea matcha powder, cinnamon, and frozen Wild Blueberries — are packed full of antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation and fight off pathogens, making them great immune boosters. Additionally, this smoothie includes vanilla protein powder to deliver a protein boost. In case you didn’t know getting too little protein in your diet can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to colds and flu.

This Wild Blueberry Tropical Immune-Boosting Smoothie is packed with antioxidant-rich Wild Blueberries, vitamin C-boasting citrus, sweet, refreshing pineapple, warming, soothing ginger, and electrolyte-loaded coconut water. Wild Blueberries have twice the antioxidant capacity of larger, regular blueberries. Antioxidants are important not only to immune health but also for boosting brain, heart and gut health and may prevent diabetes and some forms of cancer. With their anti-inflammatory properties and disease fighting compounds, antioxidants keep your body strong and can give you an edge when you need to fight off bacteria and viruses. Wake each morning and enjoy this delicious smoothie. The citrus flavor pairs wonderfully with the Wild Blueberries, which have a more intense blueberry flavor. It’s totally refreshing and sweet with a hint of spiciness from the ginger!

Stay Well!

2018 Food Trends to Inspire Your Smoothie Making Routine

Whole Foods recently unveiled the hottest food trends for 2018. The two trends we’re most excited about are floral flavors and super powders because they pair well with delicious and healthy frozen Wild Blueberries.

Floral ingredients, including whole flowers, petals and infused botanical flavors, will be used in everything from snacks to drinks like smoothies, lattes, teas and cocktails. Lavender, rose, and hibiscus will be top floral flavors in 2018.

Powders will continue to gain popularity because they are easy to incorporate into smoothies, lattes, baked good, bars, and soups, and they add that extra nutritional boost our bodies need. Expect to see more matcha, maca root and caca because of their energy boosting properties and anti-inflammatory extras like ground turmeric, spirulina, kale, herbs and other root powders. Protein powders will stay a big part of the mix but they have evolved to offer nutrients like skin- and hair- enhancing collagen, a great addition to any beauty routine.

Smoothies and winter may seem like an oxymoron but winter is actually a prime time of year for making immunity-boosting smoothies. According to Google trends, as we look for more ways to add healthy foods to our “New Year, New You” diets, smoothie recipe searches tend to peak in January and remain elevated through March. That’s because smoothies are an easy way to pack in a ton of nutrition in a convenient grab-and-go package that can help you stay healthy, satiated, and true to your mindful eating goals.

Here are three delicious Wild Blueberry smoothie recipes that feature two of 2018’s hottest foods trends.

This Wild Blueberry Lavender Smoothie from Amy Gorin of Amy Gorin Nutrition is scrumptious and calming. Lavender has been traditionally used to help ease panic and anxiety for thousands of years and after the craziness of the holiday season who doesn’t deserve a little stress relief? The Wild Blueberries have twice the antioxidants of regular blueberries, and we all know that eating an antioxidant-rich diet may help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and other age-related diseases.

Like Wild Blueberries, matcha, powdered green tea leaves, is rich in disease-fighting antioxidants. This green powder, has also been found to boost metabolism or your fat burning engine. If you’re trying to maintain your weight or even lose a few pounds, add this easy to make, six-ingredient Wild Blueberry Green Tea Smoothie created by Kara Lydon, The Foodie Dietitian, to your morning routine.

While we ramp up our protein intake to stay full longer, many of us are also trying to cut back on sugar and reduce our craving for it. Luckily, there are a variety of foods that contain natural, unprocessed sugars that will help you curb your sweet tooth. Fruits like Wild Blueberries are one of those foods. This Wild Blueberry Breakfast Protein Smoothie from Danielle Omar of Food Confidence is the perfect pre-workout breakfast or post-workout recovery meal. It’s low in sugar and big on delicious Wild Blueberry flavor. Wild Blueberries have 32% less sugar and 72% more fiber in a single serving than regular blueberries.

Happy Blending and Happy New Year!

Purple Food: 5 Trend Setting Wild Blueberry Recipes

As we reflect on this year’s health food highlights, it’s clear it was a breakthrough year for purple. Purple cauliflower made its foray onto our plates, along with purple asparagus, purple sweet potatoes, purple corn, and purple fruits like elderberries, acai, and Wild Blueberries.

Why?

According to the 2017 Whole Foods Top 10 Trends, “Richly colored purple foods are popping up everywhere [and] the power of purple goes beyond the vibrant color and often indicates nutrient density and antioxidants.”

Here at Wild Blueberries we’re excited that our superfruit and its similarly colored peers are catching some well-deserved attention. We’ve been extolling the incredible health benefits of Wild Blueberries for more than 20 years. Among their nutritional highlights, they are:

Naturally high in fiber (72% more fiber than regular blueberries)
Contain 2X the antioxidants of regular blueberries
Are a low sugar fruit, with a score of 53 on the Glycemic Index scale
Are an excellent source of manganese
Are naturally low in fat
Have only 80 calories per cup

Over the last 20 years, powerful group of health researchers has met annually in Maine to share their Wild Blueberry research and collaborate. Many have been credited with groundbreaking research that advances our understanding of how these tiny berries can make a big impact on human health. Their work includes:

Antioxidant Research
Brain Health and Cognitive Research
Cancer Research
Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome Research
Gut Health Research
Heart Health Research
Metabolism Research

If you haven’t explored the Purple Power trend, it’s not too late -– the benefits of eating healthy food do not expire at midnight of the New Year! To help you go purple, here’s a collection of some of our favorite Wild Blueberry recipes for any time of day and any time of year. Remember, you can always find Wild Blueberries in the frozen aisle of your supermarket.

Wild Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

If breakfast isn’t your favorite meal of the day, this Wild Blueberry recipe will have you asking why. The best part about these pancakes? Skip the maple syrup and load up on the antioxidant-rich Wild Blueberry sauce!

Wild Blueberry Orzo with Asparagus

This delicious salad from Danielle Omar, MS RDN, will remind you of summer. The Wild Blueberry vinaigrette is so zesty and fresh that you’ll want to try it on just about everything. You can easily keep this as a side dish, or turn it into a main dish by adding chicken or salmon.

Wild Blueberry Flax Muffin Smoothie

We can’t forget one of our favorite smoothies from 2017! This equally stunning and delicious smoothie was created by Charlotte Martin for our Wild Your Smoothie recipe competition. It’s full of flavor and protein to make a perfect grab-and-go meal for those busy mornings.

Blueberry, Tomato and Goat Cheese Naan Pizza

Our friends over at Backyard Farms let us share this creation, and we cannot get over it! It’s super easy to make, full of color and we love the pairing of flavors – especially goat cheese, Wild Blueberries and balsamic vinegar.

Wild Blueberry Crumb Cake

Once you tell your guests you have a treat that’s loaded with antioxidants, they’ll find it hard to refuse. This recipe from Danielle Omar, MS, RDN is an anytime-of-day delight: perfect with coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon, or a delicious dessert.

Five Reasons Why Eating Together is Healthier for Families

October is Eat Together, Eat Better Month, a time to refocus our energies on family meals and enjoying tasty and healthy dishes around the table together. Eating together is not just important for children—it’s important for adults, too.

Families who eat together, eat better

What’s so great about eating together? Plenty! Here are five highlights from research studies that have looked at the role of family meals on health:

Increased frequency of family dinner is associated with more healthful eating patterns (greater consumption of fruits and vegetables, lower intake of saturated and trans fat, soda and fried foods) and a higher intake of nutrients.
Kids who eat family meals 3 or more times per week are more likely to eat healthier foods and have better eating patterns. They are less likely to be overweight and to develop abnormal eating behaviors than those who have fewer family meal together.
Eating home-cooked meals is associated with consuming less fat, sugar and calories for all family members.
Teens who participate in family dinners infrequently (less than 3 times per week) are more likely to use alcohol, drugs and tobacco.
Children who eat with their families are more likely to get better grades in school.

Additionally, family dinners contribute to the overall wellbeing of both children and adults. At family dinners language skills get practiced, relaxed social interactions can occur, table manners are learned, traditions are born, cultural heritage is celebrated and life moments—both big and small—are shared. Connecting with family members over a meal is a habit worth nurturing.

Getting to the table

When everyone is so busy you may ask what’s the trick to putting meals on the table for the whole family more frequently? There’s no real secret. Making the family meal happen is more about planning and finding ways that fit your family’s unique circumstances. To help you on your journey to increasing family meals at your house, here are a few tips that may be helpful:

Schedule family meals for the week: look at everyone’s schedules and decide which meals you’ll have together. It doesn’t always have to be dinner, breakfast works too. Be sure everyone knows the plan—write it down somewhere where everyone can see the schedule.
Ask your family about what they’d like to see on the menu: children are more likely to be invested in the meals when they get to have some say in what will be served. Work in some favorites while still keeping an eye toward creating healthy, balanced meals.
Use a few convenience items, but strive to make some dishes from scratch.
Use the opportunity to expand your culinary skills or teach your children some of the family’s favorite recipes (it will come in handy later in life).
Enlist the help of the whole family. Giving jobs to everyone creates a shared experience and can make even a regular Tuesday night dinner more fun and memorable. Little kids can help set the table, toss a salad, fold napkins or arrange food on platters. Older children can wash produce, measure and stir ingredients, portion food onto plates. Teens can help put recipes together and cook.

Make family mealtime interesting

Remember the days when menus were predictable (think meatloaf on Monday). Over-planning your meals risks boring you and your family. Instead, mix it up a little—eating a wide variety of foods is more healthful and more fun, too. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Plan a “tasting menu” where you serve several new foods that your family hasn’t tried (in smaller, tasting portions so little eaters don’t feel overwhelmed), or make a couple of simple, new recipes and have each family member “rate” them (favorites get to show up on the table again).
Breakfast for dinner is a favorite with kids and adults. Pancakes sprinkled with a handful of frozen Wild Blueberries tossed in the batter will get everyone to the table quickly (as will waffles, French toast or pretty much any of the recipes here); or serve mini-Wild Blueberry smoothies alongside omelets or an egg casserole (a good way to use up leftover cooked vegetables and meats).
Prepare a themed dinner. Plan a menu featuring foods from a foreign country; have a meal where every food starts with the same letter; or let each child plan a menu (with help if needed).
Get out of the dining room. Pack up the food, bring a blanket and head out for a DIY “take out” dinner. Go to the park, the lake, or just go into the living room for a fun change of pace (skip the TV though, this is your time to reconnect with your family).

When Frozen Beats Fresh in Nutrition

It’s a nutrition question that’s plagued healthy eaters since the first frozen fruits and vegetables were marketed in 1930: are frozen foods as nutritious as their fresh counterparts? While I certainly won’t deny that fresh foods can be nutritious, I’m also not a blind believer of the “fresh is best” mantra that some would have us believe. A recently published study in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis adds to the growing body of research focused on analyzing and comparing the nutrient content of fresh vs. frozen produce.

University of Georgia researchers compared the nutrient content of eight fruits and vegetables that were stored in 3 specific ways: frozen, fresh, and “fresh-stored.” What’s “fresh-stored”? It describes the way that typical consumers handle fresh produce once they get it home. Most folks keep fresh produce in the refrigerator for 5 days before getting around to eating it—according to data from the Food Marketing Institute, and the researchers considered this to be an important comparison for the study in order to make it more relatable to real-world eating behavior. Vitamin C, beta-carotene and total folate concentrations were examined over a span of two years in six different time frames in order to take into account any seasonal variations.

What were the results? The researchers found that for the majority of the comparisons there were no significant differences between the nutrient values of fresh, frozen or “fresh-stored.” Where there were significant differences, it was generally found that the five days of refrigerated storage (for “fresh-stored” produce) had a negative association with nutrient concentration. And, more often than not, the frozen vegetables and fruits had significantly higher nutrient contents than their “fresh-stored” counterparts.

As far as blueberries go, the data revealed that frozen blueberries had significantly greater levels than that of the fresh-stored blueberries (the content of fresh blueberries was in-between). There were no significant differences in vitamin C between the fresh, frozen and “fresh-stored” samples, while beta-carotene was significantly lower in the frozen berries (the same was found with the frozen strawberries—maybe it’s something to do with berry fruits in general?). Finally, the folate content of the frozen blueberries was significantly greater than that of the fresh-stored blueberries (the content of fresh blueberries was in-between). The researchers specifically gave frozen blueberries the win, concluding: “As with other produce types assessed, the results suggest a possible nutrient advantage for frozen when considering the losses of nutrients during refrigerated storage.”

This latest study should give consumers of frozen produce some confidence that in most cases, the nutrient content of frozen produce is as good as, if not better than, fresh produce—especially if that fresh produce has been sitting at the store a while, and then hanging out in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for days before you eat it.

Extended storage and the dehydration that accompanies it is never a good thing for fresh produce. If the fruits and veggies at your market are looking limp and sad, there’s a good chance that their nutrient content has been compromised. You won’t be doing yourself or your family any nutrition favors by purchasing aging “fresh” produce. At those times, choosing frozen over fresh just makes good sense.

Shashi Charles puts a Savory Spin on Life

A native of Sri Lanka who spent her childhood in Abu Dhabi, London, and other foreign countries, Shashi Charles didn’t even see a smoothie until the early 1990s when she moved to America as a teenager. Later, when she became a mom and a runner, smoothies took a more prominent role in her life.

Her love of smoothies translated into a winning smoothie recipe for our recent Wild Your Smoothie recipe contest. Shashi’s beautiful, healthy and delicious Oatmeal Wild Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie was a runner up in this year’s contest because of its exquisite taste, color and inspiring blend of ingredients. We recently caught up with Shashi to hear her story, learn more about her delicious winning smoothie recipe, and what she loves about smoothies and Wild Blueberries.

Shashi’s story is an international one. Her mother was a diplomat from Sri Lanka and her childhood included a healthy dose of travel – and living – in foreign lands. When the time came for their daughters to attend college, Shashi’s parents set their sights on America.

“We decided to come to Atlanta, so in 1992 I enrolled here in college,” Shashi explains. After graduating, she pursued a 20-year-long career in print production, advertising, branding, and corporate identity. About four years ago, after quietly following several celebrated food blogs, Shashi launched a blog of her own.

Savory Spin (formerly known as the Runnin’ SriLankan), is a foodie website, and Shashi is now a full-time recipe developer and brand ambassador working with the likes of Bob’s Red Mill, Tyson, Progresso, Bumble Bee, Premier Protein, and Sprouts. Her recipes and food photography have been featured on TodayFood, Buzzfeed, Fit Fluential, and The Huffington Post.

“I started cooking at a young age, and by the time I was 14, I was cooking dinner at home one day of the week because both of my parents worked,” recalls Shashi. “I usually prepared typical Sri Lankan meals, which is like Indian cooking, but with more spices.” Shashi explains that cuisine was a big part of her life, and it was her daughter who encouraged her to launch the blog.

“I was always cooking, but I never kept track of my recipes, so one day my daughter said, ‘Mom, why don’t you start a blog; that way I can find your recipes when I need them?’”

The seed was planted and Shashi took her daughter’s sage advice, launching her blog in 2013. It started out mostly as a hobby but fans and companies started reaching out and it quickly led to business opportunities and sponsored posts. Today Shashi boasts nearly 30,000 Facebook followers. Last September, she decided to blog and develop recipes full time.

Learning about smoothies

Smoothies were not part of the culture in Ski Lanka or in the Middle East, where Shashi was raised. In fact, in the Arabic culture of Abu Dhabi, it was strictly forbidden to be seen outside with food. Portable “on the go” foods, such as smoothies, were not acceptable. “I did not grow up drinking smoothies at all,” says Shashi. But in America, when she became an avid runner, Shashi got into the regular habit of making smoothies, because they were something she could take in her car and enjoy on the drive to work. “I started incorporating them about 15 years ago, after my daughter was born and life got hectic,” she says.

The winning recipe

Shashi says the winning recipe for the Wild Your Smoothie Contest took about 5 to 6 attempts before it was perfected. “My daughter helped me as a taster,” says Shashi. “The first attempts did not have oatmeal. Then I added more peanut butter, but that one didn’t work, so I kept trying.” Finally, Shashi arrived at what she and her daughter thought was a desirable blend of ingredients.

The highlights of the recipe are:

Oats, which Shashi enjoys because, “they keep me satisfied longer.”
Frozen Wild Blueberries, which Shashi did not know about before the contest, but now keeps stocked in her freezer. “Ever since the contest, I’ve realized how much I love Wild Blueberries,” she says. “I keep seeing the big bags of Wild Blueberries at Kroger’s and Wal-Mart, and I buy them and keep them in my freezer. I use frozen Wild Blueberries all the time now.”
Dried apricots, which have a beautiful color and add natural sweetness. Shashi says she tried the recipe with dates first, but she didn’t like the color, so she switched to apricots. (Shashi uses a Vitamix to blend her smoothies, but she says that you can soak dried fruits, such as apricots, in warm water to soften them if you are using a less powerful blender.)
Coconut milk, which is popular in Ski Lanka. In fact, fresh coconut oil and coconut milk were very common in her childhood, but they were also considered high fat and bad for you. “Here in American the opposite is true,” she laughs. Shashi’s food philosophy is everything in moderation. “I use coconut oil and coconut milk, but I consume only a single serving. My smoothie recipe serves two. “I make it for my daughter and we share it.”
Peanut butter. Shashi says she uses a natural brand of peanut butter and she likes the protein that this ingredient offers.

Shashi admitted to being in a “smoothie rut” before entering the Wild Your Smoothie Contest. Well, she really broke the mold with this smoothie recipe, and you’re going to love how she blended together a common list of ingredients into something truly special. We also noted that Shashi included two alternatives for her toppings – one decadent and one naked. After all, not every smoothie lover is alike. Congratulations, Shashi! We love your Oatmeal Wild Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie.

Natural Mood Boosting Foods + Wild Blueberry and Chocolate Skillet Pancake Recipe

I don’t know about you, but my mood always takes a turn for the better when I look out my window and see flowers and grass instead of ice and snow. Spring is certainly a mood-booster, but the changing seasons don’t always give you the feel good fuel you need and I’ve got great news to share with you on the food front!

Exciting new research has just been released, revealing that consuming Wild Blueberries, a flavonoid-rich food, may significantly boost mood and help prevent depression in young people. In the first fully controlled double-blind research study examining the effects of flavonoids on mood in young people, it’s suggested that including flavonoids as part of a healthy diet might prevent low mood and depression (in addition to their numerous previously proven health benefits).

The key behind the mood boosting powers of Wild Blueberries is in the flavonoids. Wild Blueberries are rich in anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid that gives Wild Blueberries their deep blue pigment. Anthocyanins are long known to be heart healthy and cancer preventative, and this new research now adds mood-boosting to the list of benefits!

Tons of research over the past decade has documented the positive effects of flavonoids on brain health, suggesting improvements in attention and memory and preventing age-related mental decline. Although research on the association between diet and mental health is in the early stages, the impact of Wild Blueberries on mood are exciting additions to their many other health benefits – and just gives us more reason to enjoy these delicious little berries!

Which brings me to one of my new favorite mood-boosting recipes: Wild Blueberry Chocolate Skillet Pancakes. In addition to the mood-boosting properties of Wild Blueberries, the addition of dark chocolate boosts these pancakes even more. Dark chocolate includes flavanols that boost mood by raising circling levels of serotonin – the “feel good” neurotransmitter. Plus, let’s be honest, pancakes are good-mood food in and of themselves, right?

As it gets warmer and brighter outside, getting out of bed doesn’t feel like as much of a chore as it does in the winter (and my family never complains when I’m making pancakes!). These cast- iron skillet pancakes are not your average hotcakes. First off, they’re a triple whammy of mood-boosting goodness: juicy Wild Blueberries, rich dark chocolate, and cake. That’s right, these pancakes are more cake, than pan. You start with a sprinkle of fruit at the bottom of the skillet and then add your batter and bake. To serve, simply flip the pancake over to reveal a luscious layer of delicious Wild Blueberries that have baked into the bottom. Absolutely divine!

Trust me, if the spring weather doesn’t get you out bed, these pancakes sure will.

Tempting Food Tweaks Help You “Put Your Best Fork Forward”

March is National Nutrition Month® in the U.S., and this year’s theme, “Put Your Best Fork Forward” is a great one because it reminds us all that taking steps to improve our nutrition through smart eating is possible. This year’s theme does not demand perfection. Instead, it prods us to take action to make our diets better, to start where we are right now, at this moment, and to acknowledge that every improvement is a step on the good eating journey.

From my standpoint, the annual National Nutrition Month® theme commands more than a little respect. It’s not arrived at willy-nilly or by accident. Rather, the theme and its associated list of recommendations is deliberately arrived at each year by The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics , a professional organization made up of more than 100,000 credentialed dietitians and dietetic technicians from across the country. These professionals know what they’re talking about when it comes to nutrition. Here are some highlights:

Small tweaks can bring big nutrition benefits

Making positive changes to your diet doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing deal. Go big or go home doesn’t apply to healthy choices. In fact, “going big” when it comes to dietary modifications can lead to major feelings of deprivation, which can lead to giving up completely. According to Cornell University researchers, we make about 200 food-related choices every day! Having to give lots of thought to each and every one of those every day would be overwhelming. Doesn’t it make sense to make small switches that you can apply to just some of those decisions? A number of research studies have examined the effect of making small changes, and the studies indicate that this approach is successful for many people. Studies by the University of British Columbia show that focusing on quantity, quality, or frequency of food consumption—not all of them at once—might be the key to sustaining positive dietary changes that truly impact health. Another way to position small changes in your diet is to put the emphasis on adding things to your daily diet, as opposed to always focusing on what you need to eat less of or eliminate. Putting a positive spin on your healthful changes can make them more palatable.

What does putting your “best fork forward” look like for you?

Of course, choosing which small changes you want to work on depends on your health goal. Maybe you’re trying to drop a few pounds, or maybe you’re trying to increase your fruit and veggie intake, maybe you’re trying to establish a breakfast-eating habit in order to get more nutrients into your day. Once you’ve established your goal, researchers say it’s important to look at your eating behavior to pinpoint habits that can be tweaked for improved health. For example, if you realize that you tend to shun water in favor of other beverages because you crave flavor, you might want to add some refreshing flavor to plain water by infusing it with things like mint leaves, lemon slices, and frozen Wild Blueberries. No matter what your goal is, increasing the nutritional content of your diet is a smart move. The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans advises getting more nutrients into our diets, such as vitamin D, calcium, potassium and fiber, as well as iron for females. What small changes can you make that would better nourish your body?

Need ideas to help you “Put Your Best Fork Forward?”

Here are a couple ideas to get you started. Again, choose a goal, then find one or two small tweaks you can make in your eating plan or your approach to food that will support your goal.

Focus on fiber

Most Americans get far less fiber than is recommended. Women should aim for 25 grams per day and men should get 38 grams per day of fiber. Pack plenty of fruits and veggies into your day, along with whole grains and you can meet your fiber goals.

Switch out your regular cereal for one you enjoy that contains more fiber
Make a point to top hot or cold cereal, as well as yogurt or cottage cheese with a handful of frozen Wild Blueberries and a tablespoon of chia seeds or flaxseed meal. Wild Blueberries are a good source of fiber, with 1 cup providing 25% of the Daily Value for fiber.
Start a habit of swapping cooked whole grains like bulgur, barley, and faro for pasta. And when do you eat pasta, make it one of the higher fiber varieties such as whole wheat, multi-grain or fiber-enhanced pastas.
Bulk up your meals with lots of veggies, which are a good source of fiber and add color, texture, nutrients and flavor to your meals. Pretty much any dish is better with more veggies, so add more of them to casseroles, soups, scrambled eggs, stir-fry, and give yourself a good-sized, satisfying portion of food for fewer calories.
Add berries to your salads. There’s no rule that says salads must only contain vegetables. I love adding a handful of berries to the salad bowl—they’re beautiful and add fiber, color and an enticing sweet taste to your everyday salad.

Skimp on added sugar

Cutting back on sugar is a nutrition goal that will help you cut calories as well as retrain your taste buds to appreciate the natural sweetness in foods. Eating more whole foods and relying on fruit for sweetness in your meal plan is a good start.

Instead of a sugary-sweet dessert, make fruit your after-meal treat at least several nights a week. Frozen Wild Blueberries that have thawed just a little are a sorbet-swap in our house. Opt for a variety of fruits to increase the variety of nutrients you consume.
Give plain fruit a tasty topping with shredded, unsweetened coconut, a dollop of whole-milk Greek yogurt or a little drizzle of good-quality balsamic vinegar.
Skip the sugary soda and go for seltzer instead. Make it even more enticing by stirring in a little pureed or smashed fruit such as frozen berries or peaches. The fruit adds color, nutrients and sweet flavor.
When you bake, aim to make fruit-based sweets, such as cobblers, crisps, fruit pies or tarts, and fruit parfaits. Talk about versatile and delicious—fruit can star in all manner of sweet treats. Check out some of our desserts featuring Wild Blueberries for inspiration.

Most of all, remember to “Put Your Best Fork Forward” every day with joy and without judgment.

Granola Business Grows with Innovative Products, Premium Ingredients, and Solar Power

Maine has long been known for its lobster and Wild Blueberries, but if two Western Maine entrepreneurs have their way, the state may be on its way to becoming a hub for organic Granola, too.

GrandyOats founders Aaron Anker and Nat Peirce have been quietly expanding their homegrown business for the last two decades from a renovated dairy barn in rural Brownfield, Maine. In 2013, bursting at the seams and in need of more space for their distinctive hand mixing and baking process, the partners launched a region-wide search for a bigger building. Instead of pulling up their rural roots and moving closer to an urban center, they opted to remain in rural Western Maine.

“The decision to stay put may seem counterintuitive for a mainstream business,” laughs Chief Granola Officer Anker. “But we’re not mainstream. We wanted to support rural jobs and economic development in our home state.”

In 2014, GrandyOats closed a deal to purchase a 13,000-square-foot elementary school in Hiram that had been sitting idle since 2009. The company hired an architect and renovated the schoolhouse into a modern baking and mixing facility that has the warm bohemian feel and delicious aroma of a local bakery.

In the sprawling field behind the bakery, the entrepreneurs installed 288 solar panels, making them among the first net-zero, entirely solar-powered food manufacturers in New England. A stunning new series of videos highlights the new facility, the solar array, and the tale of their growth and laid-back philosophy.

From this new expanded location, GrandyOats creates more than three-dozen organic and gluten-free products, including traditional and grain-free granola, muesli, nuts, and trail mix. Anker notes that his company spends a lot of extra time and money sourcing premium ingredients. “Every month, we buy about 4,000 pounds of locally farmed organic oats, which costs more but it’s the right thing to do. We also source premium organic dried Wild Blueberries because they’re grown nearby, and they’re healthier and tastier than regular cultivated blueberries.”

These intentional decisions and a smart business plan have helped propel the company’s significant growth. GrandyOats sales have rocketed to $5 million in 2015, with sales in thousands of outlets across the country.

A Yummy Product that Uses Wild Blueberries

All of the GrandyOats products are delicious, but we have a special place in our heart for the Wild Blueberry Granola, made with organic dried Wild Blueberries. The packaging for this unique flavor claims it’s made in small batches using “Only the Good Stuff” including organic free oats, organic honey, organic sunflower seeds, and organic Wild Blueberries. It’s also gluten free.

“There’s a wild world of flavor in every bite,” reads the romance language on the bag. Indeed, the Wild Blueberries in this tasty granola are dried and sweetened with organic fruit juice, giving them a perfect chewy, sweet, tangy flavor. A yummy treat for any time of the year.

To order or learn more about GrandyOats visit www.grandyoats.com

What’s good for your body is good for your skin

Maine entrepreneur gains traction with Wild Blueberry all-natural beauty line

In one of the most rural corners of America, Nancy Lowry is hard at work building a conscious company. Lowry calls herself a farmer, and as someone who lives and works on a 12-acre farm, she certainly qualifies. But she’s more than a farmer. She’s an entrepreneur who’s making a name for herself as the owner of a certified organic personal care beauty line.

Indian Meadow Herbals is riding a “Farm-to-Face” beauty trend that took hold on the West Coast and has been gaining traction across the country. Not surprisingly, her strongest markets are in San Francisco and now Baltimore.

“Our products are designed for American women who are buying skincare products with ingredients in mind,” says Lowry. “Personal care products, historically, have been filled with synthetic chemicals, preservatives, alcohols, and parabens. I wanted to create something for women seeking a clean alternative.”

For 22 years, Lowry has been hard at work doing just that. And she’s managed to nurture her company from the tiny, largely unknown town of Eastbrook, Maine, home to about 120 families, with a meager population of 423 residents. The region may be short on people, but it’s not devoid of beauty or opportunity.

The expansive landscape surrounding the business includes forest, marsh, ponds, and thousands of acres of Wild Blueberry barrens. The rocky acidic soil in this region is especially hospitable to Wild Blueberries, which have thrived here for over 10,000 years. It turns out, these tiny antioxidant-rich berries take center stage in Lowry’s top-selling line of beauty products, aptly called: The Blue Line.

“The Blue Line uses certified organic Wild Blueberries grown right here in Maine,” explains Lowry. The same anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties that make Wild Blueberries a healthy food are the reason they work on your skin. “It’s pretty simple,” explains Lowry, “what’s good for you on the inside is extremely beneficial on the outside too.”

Lowry is passionate about the benefits of botanical skincare products and the reasons why they matter. “People don’t often stop to consider that fully 60 percent of what you put on your skin is absorbed into your body,” she states.

Where to find Indian Meadow Herbals
Getting your hands on Indian Meadow Herbals products is relatively easy. They are available online and are sold in nearly 300 grocery and health foods stores across the country. The Blue Line, a certified organic skin care system made up of five Wild Blueberry inspired products includes the following:

The most popular Blue Line product is the Wild Blueberry Cream for Mature Skin. Why? Probably because as women age, they become more focused on their skincare, and customers who use the Cream for Mature Skin report that their skin looks great and their face is “dewy,” reports Lowry. All five Blue Line products are certified organic, and packaged in deep-violet Miron glass, which is proven to protect products against the harmful effects of light.

Lowry’s company is USDA-certified by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. In addition, it recently passed FDA inspection and is in the process of being approved by The Environmental Working Group, a third party seal of approval.

Making a beauty product from scratch
A certified herbalist and Lowry’s original business partner developed Indian Meadow Herbals’ formulations. Using Wild Blueberries as a product ingredient took a leap of faith and some experimental ingenuity, but Lowry says her team felt strongly that the health attributes of the Wild Blueberry plants could and would deliver potent skincare benefits. The formulation process involves harvesting and winnowing the Wild Blueberries at their peak of ripeness in August, freezing them to stabilize them, then thawing, drying, and using a slow-heat process to extract their valuable oils and bio-chemical constituents. From there, the Wild Blueberry extracts are mixed with other herbs and oils and then strained, resulting in a high-quality botanically sourced beauty line.

“I’d never heard of a Wild Blueberry beauty line,” says Lowry, “but we were surrounded by acres of Wild Blueberries and given their health properties, we knew it was worth a try.”

Lowry’s journey as an entrepreneur has pushed her in unforeseen ways. “I never thought I’d be in sales,” she confesses. But the challenges have been worth it. “On a daily basis some random retail customer will call me and say, ‘Please don’t ever stop making your products,’” she says. “It’s really nice to hear them say that.”

More than just a source of pride, her business represents a moral and ethical contract with customers. “I absolutely won’t sell someone something I do not totally 100% believe in.”

Holiday Promotion: Special Skincare Offer
The snow will soon be flying over the fields at Indian Meadow Herbals, and Lowry expects to sell a large volume of holiday gifts and stocking stuffers. For a short time, she is offering an “Indian Meadow Herbals Goes Crazy for the Holidays” promotion. Click here to learn more.