GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- It is blueberry season in West Michigan which means you'll likely be picking them at a farm or buying them at the store.
Jessi Holden, Registered Dietitian from Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital joined us in studio with some easy recipes.
- Facts about Michigan Blueberries
- Michigan leads the nation in growing blueberries and produces more than 30 different varieties
- Michigan has almost 21,000 acres devoted entirely to blueberries
- Why they’re healthy
- One cup of blueberries is only 80 calories
- One cup of blueberries provides four grams of fiber, which can help you get to the recommended 25-30 grams of fiber total per day
- One cup is also a high source of vitamin A and C which can help keep your immune system operating efficiently and effectively
- Blueberries are abundant in the antioxidant, anthocyanin, which can help protect your body against free radicals
- Free radicals are unstable molecules that can impart damage to your body’s cells and contribute to the development of diseases such as cancer
- Couple ways to include into a meal
- Add them to yogurt like a parfait
- Throw them in breakfast foods like pancakes or waffles
- Mash and mix them with a little cream cheese to spread over a bagel
- Blueberry Cucumber salsa of course!
