blueberry nutrition Archives - Wild Blueberries

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

Make Breakfast Special with this Belgian Waffle with Wild Blueberry Cream Recipe

I rarely eat out these days. I honestly can’t remember the last time I ate out that wasn’t either a girl’s brunch or special occasion. Of course this doesn’t include when I’m traveling or on vacation. Even when I’m traveling for work, I tend to stick to my usual fare. It’s when I’m on vacation that I live it up. And by that I mean, I indulge just a bit more than usual.

It’s a blessing and a curse having a palate for healthy food, but breakfast might be that one exception. Okay, there may be a few others (like French fries), but that’s for another post. When we go on family vacation, breakfast is a big deal. All three of us all look forward to it. We get up early and we’re one of the first family’s to arrive, well before 8:00 am. The hotels where we stay almost always offer a breakfast buffet, something I would normally make huge efforts to avoid!

My husband goes straight for the eggs, he’s a big omelet guy. Norah loves to get an enormous bowl of fruit with yogurt. Me? I head for the made-to-order waffles.

I love a freshly made waffle for breakfast; always topped with fresh whipped cream and berries, no syrup. I can’t describe the disappointment I feel when there’s no fresh whipped cream for my waffle. It’s literally a deal breaker.

Waffles are something I rarely make at home, especially from scratch. My daughter is a pancake gal and waffles hardly seem worth the effort (even though they’re way better). Since making waffles at home is such a treat, of course they deserve some special attention.

This Belgian Waffle with Wild Blueberry Cream is loaded with deliciousness. It’s a perfectly cooked Belgian waffle that is topped with a creamy mascarpone Wild Blueberry spread and homemade no-bake granola.

You might be thinking where’s the whipped cream? Well, for this recipe I’m actually trying something close, but a little different. My Wild Blueberry mascarpone cheese is a lot like whipped cream (just a little thicker and more amazing) and I thought it would be fun to add some texture with the almond oat granola.

My almond oat granola is a secret weapon in many dishes. I love it on top of Chia seed pudding. It has a wonderful crunch and it’s relatively healthy compared to the average baked granola. It’s also a no-bake recipe and there’s really nothing much better than that!

Even with the beautiful Belgian waffle and my no-bake granola, the Wild Blueberries are the star of this dish. I love their intense color and flavor and the perfect amount of sweetness they add to the mascarpone cheese. I only needed to add a little bit of maple syrup to sweeten it just right.

The next time you’re having a waffle craving, why not take it to the next level? Skip the syrup and try my mascarpone Wild Blueberry cream. You won’t be disappointed.

Here’s to made-to-order waffles anytime!

4 New Energy Bars that Pack a Nutritional Punch

Has anyone noticed the explosion of energy bars over the last few months? Maybe it’s just me (and my constant quest for healthy snacks for my 10-year-old), but there seems to be a whole new generation of bars coming on the market.

No longer the sugary, flour-based bars that resemble a soft cookie – the new energy bars are crunchy, chewy, nutritionally worthy, and satisfying. Whether you’re looking for ancient grains or no grains, nut-intensive or nut-free, soy-centric or soy free – there’s a bar out there for you. In fact, the new generation of bars is packed with plant-based protein and highly nutritious ingredients. Most of them are gluten-free, non-GMO, and organic. They’re also devoid of ingredients like artificial preservatives, colors, and mystery “flavors.”

Four new bars caught my attention recently for their high-value supercharged ingredients like whole nuts and whole seeds and three of them contain antioxidant-rich Wild Blueberries, which pack a nutritional punch and always get my vote.

Clif Bar – Wild Blueberry Almond Bar. Clif has outdone itself with this outrageously good Wild Blueberry Almond Bar. The taste, the crunch, the chewiness, and the exceptional ingredients, like almonds, currants, cashews, and Wild Blueberries make this a top choice of the new bars on the block. And with 5 grams of protein, 11 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of fiber, this bar can honestly claim to offer pure delicious energy. Find a convenient location to purchase this bar here.

Curate – Sweet & Tart Berry Bliss. This bar company claims to be in pursuit of brilliant combinations and I agree – almonds, quinoa, flaxseeds, pear puree, raspberry puree, chia seeds, and real Wild Blueberries. It’s a great combination and the company takes a culinary approach to making its bars, so they have a beautiful homemade look and feel to them. This bar not only looks and tastes great, but it has 4 grams of protein, 12 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of fiber. Find out where to find these yummy bars here.

Pure – Organic Wild Blueberry Bar. This bar calls itself “wildly amazing” and we agree! The cashew butter, dates, walnuts, and brown rice protein pack a good punch. The Wild Blueberries add intense blueberry flavor and antioxidants! This one is also certified organic, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and kosher. Wildly amazing, indeed! You can get these amazing bars right here.

Caveman Foods – Caveman Bars. Finally, we have Caveman Foods boldly reminding us that a Paleolithic diet – made up of nuts, seeds, fruit, vegetables and lean meats – is actually what our bodies are designed to eat. (These guys are actually making meat bars too.) I would have liked their Wild Blueberry Nut Bar even more if it had lived up to its ancestral promise and used the 10,000-year-old original blueberry – The Wild Blueberry. Instead, these Cavemen opted for cultivated blueberries, which don’t qualify as PALEO in my book.

Bottom line: When you’re shopping for an energy bar, check the ingredients and the nutritional panels closely. I always look for high protein and lowest possible sugar. And of course, I always ensure that I am truly getting Wild Blueberries. Because if you’re going to consume a blueberry, then you might as well make it a wild one!

7 Tips for Packing the Perfect Lunch Box from Registered Dietician Liz Weiss

It’s back-to-school season and that means packing lunches, again! For many parents, packing the lunchbox can send the heart into nervous palpitations. But for registered dietitian Liz Weiss, it’s an art form. After reading her lunchbox ideas, your anxiety will magically transform into inspiration.

Liz is an award-winning broadcast journalist, cookbook author, and radio show host who started Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen, a leading blog for parents in search of better ways to feed their family a super-nutritious diet. She’s also the co-author of two great books: No Whine with Dinner: 150 Healthy, Kid-Tested Recipes from The Meal Makeover Moms and The Moms’ Guide to Meal Makeovers: Improving the Way Your Family Eats, One Meal at a Time and she recently released a mobile recipe app called, Meal Makeovers. You can read more about Liz at http://mealmakeovermoms.com/ and you can download the Meal Makeover app here.

Here’s some of the wisdom Liz shared with us about packing lunches.

How do you get inspired with packing a good lunchbox?
To get inspired I think about color, flavor, nutrition, and seasonality. I really like to include all of the senses – smell, sight, touch, and taste when thinking about the lunch box.
What has worked for you in the past?
I have found that it’s really helpful to include my kids in the process. I do this by simply asking them: “What do you want for lunch?” The last thing we want –or I want as a dietitian – is to throw away food or for a child to not eat something because it’s not appealing. Plus, if they don’t eat what you packed for lunch they are getting no nutritional benefit. One of the most important ways to get children excited is to present the food in a kid-appealing way. For example if you’re going to slice up apples, put a little lemon on them so they don’t turn brown. Put grapes in a small container. Think about how you package your food. Use small containers and put a little utensil in there. Make it cute and playful. That’s why Bento Box Lunches are so appealing. Kids like to play, so it pays off to think about finger foods –something easy to pick up and bite into. Most young kids are either missing teeth or they have braces – and it’s important to be mindful and make sure they are physically able to eat the food you pack. For example, I would never send young kids to school with whole pieces of fruit like apples.
How important is it to be organized?
It’s very important. As moms we really relish our sleep. If you can get 5-10 extra minutes of sleep in the morning, wouldn’t you want that? Pack shelf-stable milk boxes in the fridge before going to bed. That way it will be cold in the morning and will help keep your kid’s lunch cold. If you’re packing sandwiches, wash and dry the lettuce leaves the night before, and have them in a bag ready to go. Cut up your veggies the night before – have bell peppers, carrots, and cucumbers ready with a small container of dip. Recently, I sent my son to school with pasta salad. I boiled the whole wheat pasta the night before and it was ready to go in the morning.
Can you provide a few simple ideas for recipes?
There are lots of lunchbox recipes on my website. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Yogurt, granola and fruit cup— morning snack time at school is a perfect time to integrate some healthy options. I like to pack a small container of yogurt and pour some frozen wild blueberries over the top. Then I add a second container of granola to sprinkle on the top.

Pasta salad—I’m all about whole grains, so I start with a whole-wheat rotini. Then I add all-natural deli ham, feta cheese, diced bell peppers, zucchini ribbons, corn on the cob (leftover from last night’s dinner), and some Italian dressing. This is simple and delicious.

Kebabs — These are a favorite. I use cheese cubes, leftover chicken or deli meats like turkey or chicken. Then I add grapes, melon cubes or berries in between.

Chicken salad — Here’s an easy one. I use cubed chicken mixed with plain Greek yogurt, some low-fat mayonnaise. Then I add nuts, dicedgrapes or apples, or diced avocado.

Quesadillas – These are a hit for lunch and offer a nice change of scenery from the standard lunch. I heat the tortilla and then I add beans, veggies, cheese, and BBQ sauce and wrap these hot in foil.

What are some common lunchbox mistakes?
Packing too much food is a common mistake. Kids have about 20 minutes to eat so I encourage parents to pack the right amount of food for their child and prepare it in bite-sized pieces. Be sure to observe what comes back in the lunch box – this can be very telling. A lot of parents tend to focus on refined carbs because they are easy– they will pack a bagel with cream cheese, a juice box, and a bag of chips. The challenge when packing a bagel/juice box/bag of chips is that it lacks color and nutrition, so focus on a rainbow of colors instead!
What is the trick to keeping it healthy?
Make sure you have fresh fruit and a veggie in your lunch box. Some parents consider juice to be a fruit serving, but it’s best to think about fresh, frozen, or dried fruit as a true serving. Don’t forget about snacks. I view snacks as a mini-meal. Snack time is an opportunity to weave in ingredients that are missing in the diet. If they are not getting veggies or fruit in the morning, make sure they’re an option as a snack. One of my favorite snacks is my Mini Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins.

7. What are some of the worst lunch boxes you’ve seen?

I’ve seen a morning snack of Hawaiian punch and chips. I’ve also seen Gatorade and chocolate chip cookies. These “snacks” bring calories and sugar to the diet, but not much more. Remember that kids are small, and it doesn’t take much to fill their stomachs – so every bite should be packed with nutrition – think nutrient rich and the colors of the rainbow. Every time you pack that lunchbox ask yourself: “What is this ingredient doing for my child?”

What are favorite things to pack for your kids’ lunches? What’s the worst lunch box you’ve ever seen?

Fruits & Veggies – Cold & Flu Season’s Honored Heroes

While some of us usher in the holiday season with joy, others will be lamenting its inevitable companion, cold and flu season. Colder air means sealed up windows, recirculated air, and closed spaces where germs flourish, and there seems to be little escape from them when they arrive.

But while germs are falling on us like a Christmas Eve snow, they are more apt to cling to some and bypass others. What makes the difference? Food. It’s our best defense against poor health, and that translates directly into our day-to-day susceptibility to viruses. Healthy eating is our armor against life-threatening disease, just as it is against the pesky cold, and fruits and vegetables top the list of cold and flu resisters.

Here are some guidelines for armoring up for the coming season.

Boost Your Immune System. A consistent intake of high nutrition means you are getting vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, which offers tremendous help in fighting off viruses. Start by getting 4-5 servings of fruits and veggies every day. It will help you resist colds and flu, and if they come, your body fights them off quicker and gets you back on your feet in days, not weeks.

Go Frozen. It may be the best thing that has ever happened to nutrition. Today, freezing fruits and vegetables when they are at their peak preserves taste and nutrition – as much as if they were fresh, and possible more. There’s no reason not to eat frozen any time of year. Fruits like berries are sky-high it immune-boosting nutrition and antioxidants. It’s like your own daily flu shot against winter germs.

Choose Phyto Foods. Dr. James Sears, a regular on NBC’s The Doctors, and friend of Wild About Health, offers this advice in Parenting for cold and flu season: eat foods packed with phytonutrients. Phytos are found in deep-colored fruits and veggies such as blueberries, tomatoes and spinach. The color intensity signals immune-boosting power. Try these phyto-intense recipes that combine phytonutreint-rich wild blueberries with an array of favorites.

Eat Citrus. Oranges and grapefruits are not only available all winter long, but they are less expensive in the winter months. These fruits are notoriously high in vitamin C, and while the research into the vitamin C-cold connection is inconsistent, what is certain is that these fruits offer a wide variety of phytonutrient compounds, and they have antioxidant and immune boosting properties.

Opt for Real. We tend to reach for supplements to maintain our health in the winter, but remember that foods with vitamins and nutrients will trump vitamins in pill form every time. Why? It may have to do with synergy. Fruits, for example, offer combinations of nutrients – including not just vitamins, but minerals, flavonoids, and anitoxidants. These nutritional components work together and work with other foods to provide the immune system boost that provides the prevention.

Lean on Greens. The irony is that we eat less of the foods we need most in the winter. Colder months mean less fruit and vegetable intake. It may be the desire for comfort food combined with holiday eating, which often translates into lots of meaty, sweet, high-fat dishes. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Regularly eating a dinner that has leafy greens like spinach and kale as the primary ingredient will boost your defenses. Leafies are full of the vitamins and antioxidants your body pines for during cold and flu season. Try these 10 get-your-greens recipes from BlissTree.

More To Cure

Want more foods that will have you striding confidently through flu season? Check out this list of foods that prevent cold and flu from Livestrong.com. You can also view this slideshow from WebMD that breaks down the basics about how to fight flu with food.

Saving Your Frozen for Processing? You’re Missing Out

A recap of the 2011 Berry Health Benefits Symposium includes some interesting data about those small nutritional gems we know as berries. All varieties were under discussion this year at this California symposium, including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, as participants piled on the evidence for the berry’s superfood status and the impact they have on health.

Berries seem destined to be in the spotlight. Research continues to uncover their powerful anti-aging properties and scientists continue to learn more about the important role they play in disease prevention, including skin cancer, colon cancer, brain health, and vision, even obesity. However, there is one point in this recap we take issue with:

“Unless you live in Maine, the fresh blueberries you eat are of the ‘high bush’ type. The ‘low bush’ or wild blueberries of the northeast (including Canada) are much smaller and have a very short season. They are mostly frozen and used in food processing.”

It’s true that the northeast shines when it comes to wild blueberries, and the point that wilds are only indeginous to the areas of Maine and Canada is well taken: it’s what makes this little blue berry so unique! However, this interesting fact requires some clarification. On behalf of frozen wild blueberry lovers across the nation, we felt compelled to make these two points to ripen the berry discussion:

#1. Actually, they may have a short season, but the wild blueberries harvested in Maine and parts of Canada supply the entire country and parts of the world. Maine, for example, produces about 38% of the world’s wild blueberries and 15% of all blueberries in North America. Between Maine and Canada, around 204 million pounds of blueberries are harvested per year!

It’s becoming more and more common to live outside of Maine and still enjoy the benefits of wild — thank goodness, since the best way to get the most powerful dose of antioxidant benefit is to make sure you are buying wild, or lowbush berries.

Wild are smaller and have a higher skin-to-pulp ratio, and the skin is where the advantages reside. So while you may have trouble procuring a just-picked pint of wild blueberries outside of Maine or Canada, frozen wilds are available widely. You’ll find them in New England, in the South, in the West, even in California! Find out where to buy frozen wild blueberries.

#2. The idea that frozen is used primarily in food processing is simply short-sighted.

First, frozen is the best thing that has happened to nutrition since the icebox became the refrigerator. Frozen produce of all varieties provide a nutritious solution for families looking to make healthy eating more convenient and affordable.

What’s more: chefs love frozen wild blueberries and use them widely. Among our many interviews with chefs and cooks using frozen wild blues, the consensus is clear: they hold a sweet, complex flavor after baking because they are not as acidic as some fruits. They maintain their flavor nicely compared to other berries as well, and they stay truer to their original form. While some berries are processed, they are overwhelmingly used in recipes where they are not: wild blueberries can handle being mixed much more easily than a number of other fruits, and they are often used when the appearance of the whole fruit is important.

Second, frozen is as nutritious as fresh, and individual quick freezing (IQF) means berries are frozen at the peak of freshness in a way that preserves the whole berry: no blocks of ice, no cylinders of puree. Just all the wonders of wild blues. Yes, frozen is perfect for smoothies, but they are also perfect for most any purpose where fresh is used.

So, if you are saving your frozen wild blueberries for processing only, your missing out. Frozen wilds are much more versatile! Here are some of the many ways to take full advantage of their taste, texture, and nutrition, no processing involved:

In any recipe that calls for blueberries. That includes salsas and sauces, pies and cakes, crisps, grunts, crumbles and crème brulee.

As a topping. Wild blues add a colorful crown to many foods, no processing required. In fact, they are perfect for times when the appearance of the whole fruit in all its individual glory is needed. That includes yogurts, cereal, pancakes, and many uniquely delicious and colorful entrées, including fish, pork, and chicken.

On their own. Thaw (and strain a little, if you like) your frozen wild blueberries overnight, defrost in the microwave, or simply leave them on the counter briefly, and consume them with a fork, by hand as a snack, or scoop them out as a side for a sandwich or salad, au naturel. Each individual berry is beautiful preserved. And that blue on your fingertips is the stamp of rich nutrition—any time of year.

Berries from Coast to Coast

Kudos to California’s Berry Benefits Symposium for getting the word out about the wonders of berries. In Maine, the Bar Harbor Group dedicates itself to continuing nutritional research as it relates to berries as well. Each year, researchers and scientists from around the country gather to share ongoing research and findings about nature’s true nutritional jewels. In past years, presentations taking place at this famed summit have included research involving disease prevention and anti-aging, cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and macular degeneration. We’ll keep you posted about this year’s summit, taking place during the summer.

Did you know? Frozen wild blueberries can remain ready to eat in the freezer year round, and the individually quick frozen method means they can remain frozen for over two years without losing their flavor or nutritional value. Love your frozen? Tell us why!

Are You Eating Fake Blueberries?

Revealing Video Uncovers Consumer Deception

A revealing video made by the Nonprofit Consumer Wellness Center points out a frightening consumer deception in some popular brands that sell products such as muffins, breads, and cereal. These popular brands named in the video are faking their fruit – they don’t contain blueberries, despite pictures on the front of their packaging, and in some cases claims in writing, that they do contain blueberries.

Instead, the products contain “blueberry bits”, “blue crunchlets” or out-and-out faked blueberries made from artificial colors, partially-hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup, chemically provided with a blue color. While it sounds shocking, it’s information that can be found with a little digging – into the ingredients list – where in these particular cases no blueberries are listed among the many sugars and artificial ingredients and colors.

While some products advertise fruits in their products that simply don’t exist, others admit it in fine print according to the video, but the goals for these big brands appear to be the same – convincing the consumer that they are buying blueberries to inflate prices, then making chemically colored bits more cheaply to expand profits.

What can the consumer do? Rely on trusted brands that use real blueberries – they do exist. And most importantly, read labels. Look for artificial colors, like Red # 40 and Blue #2, needed to provide that blue-like color to their sugars and petrochemicals used to fake their fruit – they usually show up at the bottom of the ingredients list.

Of course real blueberries, especially wild blueberries, are incredibly nutritious and contribute big benefits to a healthy diet. Add them yourself by buying them fresh or frozen from trusted brands to be sure you are getting the real nutrition and powerful antioxidants they provide in their natural, authentic form.

The video, The Blueberry Deception, can be seen in its entirety below. Natural News also provides a sample letter you can send to these companies to tell them to get real and drop the deception.

Frozen Fruit Myths…Debunked!

With ample evidence that frozen is just a good as fresh when it comes to getting delicious, healthy fruits into your diet, you might still hear that voice in the back of your head – the one hanging on to the notion of “fresh” – the one that makes you feel that during the winter months when produce shelves are wanting, frozen is a necessary compromise.

It’s understandable. Fresh is great, and it has long been a mantra for healthy eaters. And, old notions of frozen – those established prior to quick freezing technology – can bring to mind ideas of ice-encased foods that lack taste or nutritional value. But those ideas are old-school. A rising interest in competitive prices and low waste, along with an effort by consumers to raise the bar on their nutrition has only contributed to making frozen, well, cool.

It’s important to get your servings of fruits and veggies. They are simply the best avenue to maintaining weight, improving health, and preventing disease. So, in an effort to reinforce what those who enjoy their fruit every season of the year already know, we’re debunking some frozen myths (using the wild blueberry as a case in point) that will help even fresh fanatics turn toward the freezer section.

Myth #1: Frozen isn’t as nutritious as fresh.

Not so. In fact, this myth has been proven to be untrue for quite a while. Way back in 1998, the Food & Drug Administration confirmed that frozen fruits and vegetables provide the same essential nutrients and health benefits as fresh – great news for those seeking year-round healthy foods. Consider this: wild blueberries top the ORAC chart of 40 tested foods, making them the #1 antioxidant fruit – fresh or frozen – it makes no difference.

Myth #2: OK, but frozen definitely isn’t better than fresh.

This one may surprise you: Quick frozen foods like wild blueberries actually can be. They retain their nutritional value longer, and they are preserved at their peak, not before. Since development of a technology known as the individually quick-frozen (IQF) method, foods can be frozen when they are at their peak of freshness. Some fresh-sold fruits are picked early to ensure they won’t spoil during the long shipping and storage, but not those that are quick-frozen. And, their value doesn’t deteriorate during storage periods, something that is inevitable with fresh-sold fruit. The ability to be captured at their peak of taste, ripeness and nutrition means everything you like about your favorite fruits is captured and locked in for the duration.

Myth #3: Frozen means a glob of ice.

Chalk this one up to quick freezing technology as well. IQF means the integrity of delicate foods like berries is completely preserved. The wild blueberry, for example, as small as it is, holds its shape and texture through the quick freezing method. Because the “I” in IQF stands for Individual, frozen berries maintain their identities – they don’t glob together in balls of ice. They maintain their quality for more than two years, too. So, if you still think using frozen foods means chopping through the tundra, think again.

Myth #4: I cook, and frozen is harder to use.

This is simply not the case. Performance is first class for IQF fruit. For example, blueberries have superior performance when used in recipes, and retain their structure even better while frozen – and they can be used in most recipes that call for blueberries. Plus, frozen is a better choice for concocting frosty, nutritious smoothies. (Also, did you know frozen wild blueberries have less water than cultivated blueberries, making them the better choice for most recipes?)

Myth #5: Big frozen packages just aren’t convenient.

Don’t kid yourself. Single servings are easy to extract from the freezer for use in meals, in recipes, or for snacking. Stand-up bottoms with resealable zip pouches are available for some premium products. And, frozen is always there when you want it – whenever you need a cup, a scoop or a sprinkle. What could be more convenient?

Myth #6: Frozen fruit isn’t premium quality.

Debunked. The most popular frozen fruit brands use only premium fruit for freezing, yielding a consistently superior product.

Myth #7: With frozen, I don’t know what I’m getting.

Frozen fruit is just that: fruit. Unless the label says otherwise, frozen fruits like blueberries contain one ingredient. They have no caloric syrups and additives, and are just pure, unadulterated, nutrient-rich fruit.

Myth #8: Impressive. So, frozen must be more expensive.

Not a chance. Frozen fruits are usually found at a remarkable value when compared to in-season pricing. And, you can buy them in economically sound bulk packages knowing that no aging or spoiling means no waste, adding to the economic benefit.

Forgoing fruit during the long winter season? How uncool. Now is no time to compromise on your health. Every season is the perfect season for taste and nutrition – go frozen!

Fruit & Veggie Slackers – Are You One?

We’ve said it here before. Most Americans are not eating their daily requirement of disease preventing, health boosting, weight managing fruits and veggies. A new report from the CDC this month says as much – only 33% of adults consumed two or more fruits a day, while just 26% consume three or more veggies.

More bad news? Who needs it. It used to be that avoiding being force-fed Brussels sprouts at dinner time was worth a little bad health. Better to live it up and enjoy life. But those days are over – enjoying nature’s bounty does mean living it up. First, it’s easier than ever – frozen fruits and veggies are always available and have just as much of the taste and nutrition as fresh. And, eating colorful foods from the rainbow means eating sweet, crunchy delicious foods that offer a bang to your brain and energize your body in the short term. In the long term, they offer powerful anti-aging nutrients, cancer prevention, and heart disease prevention. There’s simply no reason not to commit to getting your daily dose.

The wild blueberry lovers at Facebook got hip to the news and started fighting back by putting their own ways they defy the odds on the wall. Veggie smoothies, raw food munching, juices…how do you get your daily dose? Join the conversation (and pick up on some yummy recipes that make nutrition irresistible while you’re there). Or, if you’re feeling serving-impaired, put a few of these ideas to help you get fruits and vegetables into your diet on your own wall.

Stop undercutting your health. Longevity, wellness, and weight management is right there in your freezer, in your fridge, in your fruit bowl and on your plate. Don’t be a fruit and veggie slacker – dig in!

Can You Clean Your Brain? New Research Shows Berries Can Eliminate Brain “Debris”

It sounds as wonderful as it does impossible: that our brain can be cleaned, restored, and refreshed by eliminating harmful clutter. There’s some brand new research indicating that this clean sweep is no new age fantasy, and it may be achieved by what we eat.

The latest scientific research reveals that what is cluttering up the brain and leaving us susceptible to its diseases of aging such as Azhiemer’s and memory loss can be tidied up through berries – specifically blueberries, strawberries and acai berries, frozen or fresh. The concept marks a leap in a compelling area of science focused on maintaining the health of the brain. It also strengthens an already compelling link between diet and prevention.

The study was presented at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, and it showed that berries (and possibly walnuts), activate the brain’s natural “housekeeper” mechanism, which cleans up and recycles toxic proteins linked to age-related memory loss and other mental decline.

If all this talk of garbage and recycling sounds more like working at a landfill than working on your health, here’s some new concepts to start thinking about:

Brain “Debris”

Previous research has suggested that one factor involved in aging is a steady decline in the body’s ability to protect itself against inflammation and oxidative damage. This damage results when normally protective cells become overactivated to the point that they damage healthy cells. This is, in a sense, the origin of brain debris, or the buildup of biochemical waste. This waste of the nervous system collects during aging, essentially gumming up the works. Without a little cleanup, this can prevent the brain from working the way it should.

Brain “Cleansing”

Now that we have the dirt, we need the broom. Enter cells called microglia. They are the housekeepers of the brain that in normal functioning collect, remove, and actually “recycle” the biochemical debris in a process called autophagy.

This process can be hindered as we get older, and without this “sweeping” process, we are left with the buildup. As a result of this slowing of the natural protective process, we are left vulnerable to degenerative brain diseases, heart disease, cancer, and other age-related disorders.

Restoring a Cluttered Brain

We know that natural compounds called polyphenolics found in fruits and vegetables have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect that may protect against age-associated decline. Shibu Poulose, Ph.D. and James Joseph, Ph.D., (Joseph passed away in June; you can read our rememberance of Jim Joseph here) did the latest research that takes these details and ties them directly to the berries in question.

The research by Poulose and Joseph suggests that the berries’ polyphonolics are responsible for what they call a “rescuing effect”. They restore the housekeeping action – the normal function of sweeping away debris – that hinders the function of the brain.

A Growing Area of Study

While we are already aware of the disease preventing effects of polyphenols, this “rescuing” process has been previously unrecognized by researchers. It furthers the science behind an important link between diet and maintaining healthy brain aging.

Keeping diseases of the brain at bay seems to be more and more within reach by accessing the great foods that surround us. As research into the astonishing benefits of berries continues, researchers continue to provide compelling data about their disease preventing power – and that means hope for all of our aging, cluttered brains.