Sweet-tasting blueberries pack an incredibly healthy punch. These wholesome berries have more disease-fighting antioxidants than most other fruits and vegetables. Nutrition experts recommend eating blueberries everyday. And that’s easy to do in the firehouse—just keep them handy in a bowl in the kitchen or store them in the refrigerator for quick pickings as a snack or a simple dessert.

Berry Healthful

Blueberries are also a great source of vitamin C and a good source of fiber. A cup of blueberries only has about 80 calories, but the five grams or so of fiber in the fruit leaves you satisfied. That makes blueberries a great choice whether you are watching your weight or not.

Blueberries get their lovely indigo color from a potent antioxidant called anthocyanin, which is believed to help the body fight aging, cancer and heart disease, and improve vision.

What to Look For

Choose dark blue fruit with a silvery cast. Blueberries should be plump and firm, and about the same size and free of stems or leaves. Avoid soft, mushy or wet berries or juice-stained containers.

Storing

Blueberries won’t ripen after you buy them, so eat them within a couple of days. Handle the fruit carefully since it’s fragile, and wash it only just before eating.

Eating

Blueberries taste so good on their own that it’s easy to eat them by the handful. They are also delicious sprinkled over a bowl of breakfast cereal, yogurt or low-fat ice cream. The flavor of the fruit also goes well with chicken--try adding blueberries to your next chicken salad (substitute yogurt for mayonnaise).

Blueberries are also great in baked goods. Try this easy recipe for blueberry cornbread for a good breakfast or snack.

Recipe

Blueberry Cornbread

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