By Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC

Of all of the superfoods, blueberries are one of my favorites. And living in Oregon, we sure do get plenty of them. But what exactly makes blueberries superfoods? And what are some of the ways you can eat them?

Interesting facts about blueberries:

More species of blueberries exist in North America than in any other continent in the world.

Blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity of any of the popular fruits and vegetables.

Specifically, blueberries are rich in the phytonutrients known as anthocyanins. Homeschoolingdietitianmom.com/3-benefits-color-vegetables

Antioxidants are just what they say they are: "anti", meaning they work against, "oxidation."

Oxidation is a process that results in the breakdown of cells. For example, the reason bananas, apples, and potatoes become brown when open to the air is because of oxidation.

Thus, antioxidants prevent cell damage in the body, an example of which is cancer.

Blueberries are an excellent way to reduce your risk of cancer and other age-related diseases.

• Blueberries are low in calories. One cup only contains about 80 calories.

• These tasty fruits are a good source of fiber, providing 4 grams per serving.

• They are also high in vitamin C and are a good source of potassium.

• As with all fruit, blueberries are high in water (85%). Thus, blueberries hydrate your body naturally.

Blueberries taste delicious and make many other foods tastier. For example, add some blueberries to your pancake or waffle batter the next time you're fixing breakfast. Or just add the blueberries on top.

Add blueberries to your favorite smoothie in the morning. You can freeze blueberries to increase their shelf life. This is great in the summer because the coldness of frozen berries makes the smoothie more refreshing on a hot summer day.

Add them to your favorite cereal or to plain yogurt to spruce them up AND make them more nutritious.

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