Wild Blueberry Winter Wellness Smoothie
Wild Blueberries are a perfect ingredient for wellness in our Wild Blueberry Winter Wellness Smoothie! They’re packed with antioxidants, naturally low fat, high in fiber, and an excellent source of manganese, which is important for bone health. They also taste utterly delicious!
On the eve of cold and flu season and the busy holidays, I’ve been thinking about these two amazing Wild Blueberry wellness facts and how they make me want to incorporate more Wild Blueberries into my diet.
- Antioxidants. Wild Blueberries contain two times the antioxidants of regular (cultivated) blueberries, and this means they can boost your immune system and play a role in preventing the common cold. Wild Blueberries have more skin, more pulp and less water than cultivated blueberries, which means more antioxidant-rich pigment.
- Low or No Pesticides. Because Wild Blueberries thrive in their natural environment, they do not need nearly the amount of pesticides that cultivated berries need. So you can feel confident buying non-organic or organic Wild Blueberries!
Here’s a short list of my favorite ways to enjoy Wild Blueberries, during the winter:
- In oatmeal or rice porridge
- Baked into fluffy Wild Blueberry muffins or breads or donut holes!
- Blended into wellness smoothies
- Blended into fresh salad dressings and savory sauces
- As a topping over banana ice cream
- In pancakes and waffles
There are so many delicious and healthy uses for Wild Blueberries in winter! Today’s smoothie is perfect for wellness, not only because it’s loaded with Wild Blueberries, but because it includes five more immune-system boosting ingredients:
- Walnuts – Rich in healthy fats, omega fatty acids and vitamin E
- Hemp Seeds – Naturally rich in plant-based protein, omega fatty acids, magnesium, iron and zinc
- Banana – Rich in potassium and fiber
- Citrus Zest – Yes the zest is good for you too! It’s packed with vitamin C and bioflavonoids.
- Cinnamon – Blood sugar balancing and warming.
Too cold for a smoothie? Never. You can make this smoothie “less cold” by omitting the ice and using a non-frozen banana. You can even allow the Wild Blueberries to thaw a bit so they’re not ice cold from the freezer.
