Then embrace blueberries. You’ve heard it before—they’re especially rich in protective antioxidants called anthocyanins, which reduce risk of age-related diseases (diabetes, cardiovascular disease and neurologic disease). They’re incredibly efficient at fighting inflammation and reducing oxidative stress.

And because blueberries are such a significant source of anthocyanins, you don’t have to eat mountains of them to reap their benefits. In fact, studies show that eating as little as ⅓ cup of blueberries daily can effectively reduce the risk of many life-shortening chronic diseases.

This lovely fruit is also good at promoting gut health because of their high fiber content and exceptional concentration of polyphenols. So, adding a cup of blueberries to your cereal, yogurt or smoothie each day is a tasty and smart routine to pursue.

Simply wash and dry them, and snack away. That’s part of their beauty—they’re scrumptious on their own. They also pair beautifully with nuts or cheese and are delicious whether fresh or frozen.

Besides adding them to yogurt and cereal, they’re delicious tossed into salads—they play really well with leafy greens (especially spinach and kale). Add-ins like pecans, feta and avocado complement their sweetness.

Then there’s the smoothie option. They make a smoothie even richer and thicker. Plus, they’ll provide that afore-mentioned fiber to slow the absorption of any sugars in your smoothie.

With the blueberry’s reputation established, you should know that conclusive research says the wild berry trumps the commercial variety in taste and nutrition. This is because they have a higher skin-to-pulp ratio, leading to more antioxidants (especially anthocyanins), fiber (around 72% more), and manganese.

And the wild berry has less sugar (about 30% less), while also boasting greater genetic diversity and intense flavor, making them a "superfood" choice for brain and heart health, though both types offer significant benefits.

To sum up, the wild berry is just more nutrient dense. But don’t mistake my point: whether wild or commercially grown, either one is plain good and plain good for the body.

If you’re looking for one thing you can do this year to improve your diet, eating blueberries daily would be a good choice. If you like the idea, here’s a great recipe to get you into that routine.

Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Spread

Yield: approximately 3 cups

Ingredients:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese softened
2 lemons zested
6 to 7 tablespoons lemon juice (from 2 small lemons)
2 to 3 tablespoons raw honey
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, let thaw and drain well)

Directions:

1. Using a hand mixer; mix cream cheese, zest, juice and honey.

2. Stir in blueberries.

3. Spread can be served immediately. The flavor is enhanced if refrigerated for 4 hours before serving.

This is delicious served on toast, muffins, bagels, and atop pancakes and waffles.

Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.