Blueberries might be small in size but these wildly popular berries are packed with nutrients.
US Highbush Blueberry – The Little Blue Champion
The US Highbush Blueberry Council recently launched “The Little Blue Champion” campaign at Village Grocer, MyTown Cheras to highlight the amazing health benefits of blueberries for all ages.
US is the world’s largest producer of blueberries. Blueberries thrive in areas with sunny skies, cold nights and warm days. Native to North America, US Highbush Blueberries are cultivated by around to 2,500 farmers in farms where climates are perfect for the best blueberries.
Blueberries flourish from April to late September. The good news is, blueberries which are frozen straight from the farm with all the nutrients, freshness and flavor locked in are available conveniently in retail, all year round. They can be kept in the freezer for at least 10 months.
Malaysian fitness and health advocate, former radio host, and World Fitness Federation Asia Ms Bikini runner-up, Linora Low commented, “The blueberry is truly a little champion when it comes to food that is good for you. For those leading an active lifestyle, it’s a great snack that keeps you feeling full and satiated, reduces inflammation and lowers blood pressure. It also has only 80 calories per cup, virtually no fat and is low in sodium.”
Linora shared 2 easy blueberry recipes for a healthier lifestyle which are suitable for all ages. The first blueberry recipe is a creative way to get your kids to drink their milk every day – Blueberry Milk! The blueberries added a yummy unique flavor and a splash of purple color into the milk.
Linora also demonstrated a Cauliflower Blueberry Muffin recipe.
Cauliflower Blueberry Muffin
Equipment
- Blender
- Oven
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Blueberries Fresh or frozen
- 1½ cups Unsweetened Applesauce
- 100 g Raw Cauliflower Florets
- 3 Eggs
- 1½ cups Almond Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 4 tbsp Peanut Butter
- ⅓ cup Coconut Sugar
- 2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
- 2 tbsp Chia Seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit (180 Celcius)
- Place all ingredients except blueberries in food processor or blender
- Blend until smooth
- Lay out the paper muffin cups
- Lightly spray olive oil, cooking spray, or brush olive oil onto the cups
- Divide the batter evenly into the cups
- Place the desired amount of blueberries into each muffin cup - around 4-5 blueberries each cup. Don't overdo it because more blueberries will make the muffins moister.
- Bake the muffins in oven at 350 Fahrenheit (180 Celcius) for 20-22 minutes, or until the center is cooked through and a toothpick comes out clean
The health benefits the Blueberries are abundant – each cup of blueberries provides 25% of daily Vitamin C, 5% of daily vitamin B6 and 36% of daily vitamin K needs. Blueberries intake from an early age could fend off heart disease and brain aging, reduce cholesterol level, and prevent DNA damage which inevitably reduces the risk of cancer.
Blueberries are best enjoyed when they are at their freshest. Ms Phornthip Polpraset, Regional Marketing Representative of the US Highbush Blueberry Council gave a useful tip on how to choose fresh blueberries. “Look out for the silvery sheen that’s known as bloom. The more bloom, the fresher the blueberry,” advised Ms Phornthip.
Whether you like them fresh, frozen, dried, freeze dried or canned, US Highbush Blueberries truly are “Little Blue Champions” when it comes to convenience, versatility and good nutrition.
To find out more, please visit US Highbush Blueberry website: https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/us.highbushblueberries.my or Instagram: @ushighbushblueberries
Good recipe eh! I love blueberry 😛