Experts have been searching for the proverbial fountain of youth for generations, and at one point, looking young meant resigning yourself to expensive cosmetics, botox, or plastic surgery. As science continues to progress, dietitians have found that the amount of sleep you get each night, the exercise you do during the day, and the amount of water you drink all play into how many wrinkles and age lines you keep at bay.
Slowing down the aging process also extends to your diet, and eating the right things plays an integral role in helping you look and feel young. There may not be one superfood out there that can work miracles but one particular fruit gets pretty close: blueberries.
“Blueberries are a nutrition powerhouse and high in the antioxidants vitamins A and C, and anthocyanin,” Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim, and advisory member for Eat This, Not That! says.
The antioxidants locked inside this particular berry hold the secret to looking and feeling younger and can go a long way towards doing a ton of good for your body.
“These antioxidants help to prevent inflammation and protect the body from oxidation which can lead to aging and disease,” Dr. Young continues. “They also help to protect the skin from damage due to oxidation, stress, and everyday living.”
Science continues to uncover more and more secrets locked away in this fruit as time goes on. According to a study published in Mutagenesis, the root of aging stems back to damage that your DNA takes on over the course of one’s life. A study in the European Journal of Nutrition found that blueberries not only prevent DNA damage, but they might also help prevent cancer and other forms of illness that relate to DNA mutation and destruction. You don’t even have to eat fresh blueberries—scientists discovered in the same study that the freeze-dried version of the fruit holds the same benefits.
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Another study found in Life Extension Magazine backed up these findings and discovered that the fruit may also have the ability to extend lifespans and keep your brain healthier thanks to its massive antioxidant load per serving.
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Tips to eat more blueberries
While these berries rank as the best food to stave off the aging process, you still have to find a few ways to incorporate more of them into your diet. Luckily, with the right recipes, you shouldn’t have too much trouble.
“Blueberries are easy to add to the diet—you can add them to a smoothie, yogurt, or oatmeal or enjoy a handful or two as a snack,” Dr. Young says.
If you need some inspiration, you can’t go wrong with 20 Healthy Blueberry Muffin Recipes to start your morning with. If that can’t get you excited, the Secret Effects of Eating Blueberries can easily get you pumped to include more of this fruit in your daily meal plan.
Erich Barganier
Erich Barganier is a health and food writer. Read more
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