Megan Murphy: Freeze nutritious blueberries now to enjoy all year Health Tips

Megan Murphy: Freeze nutritious blueberries now to enjoy all year

Like most berries, blueberries are high in antioxidants. A particular antioxidant found in blueberries, called pterostilbene, may be a powerful force in reducing blood cholesterol.

Studies done with rats show that pterostilbene acts like some of the cholesterol-lowering medications on the market, binding to a particular receptor in the liver and helping that receptor remove cholesterol from the blood. We don’t know for sure whether pterostilbene will have the same action in humans, but it is certainly possible.

A study reported last year in a food chemistry journal found an improvement in older adults’ scores on cognitive function tests, including tests of memory function. The volunteers in this study consumed 2 to 2½ cups of blueberries every day for 12 weeks. This may be more blueberries than you can consume on a daily basis, but chances are good that even smaller amounts likely offer some of the same benefits.

Organic blueberries are best, as some studies show they have higher levels of antioxidants than blueberries grown with the help of manmade chemicals.

Buy or pick blueberries now while they are plentiful. They freeze beautifully, and you can use them in the months ahead when blueberries aren’t in season and are more expensive.

A study published in 2004 in The Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology showed no damage to antioxidants after the berries were frozen for six months.

To freeze blueberries, most blueberry experts recommend not washing them first. Any water clinging to the berries after washing will disrupt the cell structure in the blueberries when frozen. It’s best to place unwashed, ripe blueberries in a zip-top bag, seal the bag and place in the freezer. When you are ready to use the berries, rinse them in warm water to wash them off, then thaw or use them frozen in recipes.

Today’s recipe is billed as a breakfast salad, but of course, you can serve it any time.

The granola adds a breakfast feel to the dish, but you could easily swap it for a few chopped walnuts and call it a side dish salad.

I like spinach leaves in combination with fruit, but you can use other mixed salad greens as well.

Megan Murphy is a Tennessee-licensed registered dietitian and associate professor of nutrition at Southwest Tennessee Community College. Call 277-3062, fax 529-2787, e-mail .

Blueberry Breakfast Salad

Vinaigrette:

1 cup olive oil

1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. minced shallot

¾ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. ground white pepper

½ tsp. paprika

For Salad:

2 bags (about 9-10 oz.) baby spinach or mixed, torn salad greens

4 cups fresh blueberries

4 cups fresh orange sections or canned mandarin oranges (about 6 fresh oranges or 3 (15-oz.) cans mandarin oranges, drained)

2 cups low-fat granola

Make vinaigrette by placing all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender or food processor container and process until mixture is smooth. Chill at least 30 minutes to blend flavors.

Toss salad greens with 1½ cups of the Blueberry Vinaigrette.

Assemble salad by dividing greens among eight large plates. Arrange ½ cup orange sections and ½ cup blueberries on top of the greens on each plate. Sprinkle each salad with ¼ cup granola.

Drizzle remaining dressing on top. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings, about 3 cups each (2 cups greens plus 1 cup fruit)

Per serving: 443 calories, 29 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 9 g fiber, 4 g protein, 166 mg sodium.

Source: blueberrycouncil.org

Virtual Health Center