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?
Here are at least 5 reasons blueberries are superfoods.
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.
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 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 more tasty. 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.
This is at least 5 Reasons why blueberries are superfoods. Can you think of any more reasons?
An anomaly is an irregular or unusual event, occurrence, or characteristic. In the Bible, many apparent anomalies exist. For example, the term “Giant” or “Nephilim” appears throughout the Old Testament. This has caused much debate among theologians due to it being a seemingly anomalous concept within Biblical texts. Today I am going to focus specifically on use of the word “Giants” in the Bible.
Does the Bible really mention Giants?
Yes, it does! At least 20 different times in the King James Version of the Bible, the words “giant” or “giants” are named. Genesis 6 is the most well-known verse that discusses the Giants. But there are many references as well. Below are the references I found doing a quick search in the online Strongs Concordance for the KJV.*
Genesis 6:4
Numbers 13:33
Deuteronomy 2:11, 2:20, 3:11, 3:13
Joshua 12:4, 13:12, 15:8, 17:15, 18:16
2 Samuel 21:16,18,20,22
1 Chronicles 20:4,6,8
Job 16:14
*I am not a “King James Version” only person. But I chose to use this version today because of the fact that it uses “giant” when describing these Biblical anomalies despite that the words in the Hebrew Lexicon are “nphyl” or “rapha.'”
Where did the Giants in the Bible come from?
The Bible doesn't specifically mention where they came from. However, according to Genesis 6:4 they existed before the Great Flood:
“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” (KJV – Public Domain)
Numbers 13:33 refers to the report of the leaders of Israel whom Moses sent to spy out the land of Canaan:
“And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” (KJV – Public Domain)
Two spies, ancient Israelites carry a bunch of grapes of Canaan from the Promised Land
2 Samuel 21:16-17a
“And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him.” (KJV – Public Domain)
1 Samuel 17:4-5, 49-51
“And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. *And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.” (KJV – Public Domain)
“And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.So, David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore, David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.” (KJV – Public Domain)
*9 feet 6 inches
David's Slingshot with 5 Smooth Stones.
Amos 2:9
“Yet I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.”
Giant Chart – Creative Commons License 2023
Are there other places Giants are mentioned besides the Bible?
Absolutely! Myths and legends abound throughout the entire world:
Canada
United States
China
Israel
Greece
Turkey
Iraq (Babylon)
Afghanistan
Norway
United Kingdom
In fact, even a cursory search of the internet will lead to so many references to giants that it's hard to know where to start. For example, on National Geographic's website, there is an article discussing Stonehenge, it's apparent age as well as some of the “myths and folklore” surrounding how it was built:
“According to folklore, Stonehenge was created by Merlin, the wizard of Arthurian legend, who magically transported the massive stones from Ireland, where giants had assembled them.” Stonehenge | National Geographic
Giant Building Stonehenge
Native Americans have SO MANY stories that a serious truth-seeker would be hard-pressed to not take them seriously. Legend, myth, or “fairy tale,” if these stories go back thousands of years, ALL OVER THE WORLD, in my opinion, there is a strong indication of their validity.
“The tradition of the Choctaws . . . told of a race of giants that once inhabited the now State of Tennessee, and with whom their ancestors fought when they arrived in Mississippi in their migration from the west. … Their tradition states the Nahullo (race of giants) was of wonderful stature.”
The holidays have looked a lot different the past couple of years. The great news is that holiday parties, school concerts, family gatherings, shopping, and vacations are starting to pick up, though with some restrictions remaining for many of us. This probably means you are busier this year. This is great after being cooped up the past couple of holiday seasons. However, it also means less time at home.
It is always nice to have some new ideas (or reminders of the old ones). So here are 3 Time Saving Kitchen Hacks for the Holidays to help deal with the time crunches that are likely to occur at some point in the next couple of months.
3 Time Saving Kitchen Hacks for the Holidays
1 – Go Semi-Homemade
As you know if you've been following me for a while, we are very pro-cooking around here. However, sometimes taking shortcuts can turn a potential take-out night into a total kitchen win. For example:
Grab a rotisserie chicken and incorporate it into soups or chilis or tacos so you can reap the benefits of high-quality protein without spending extra time cooking it.
If you're limiting grains, you can shred the chicken and stuff lettuce leaves with a squeeze of lime for lunch or dinner.
Buy pre-chopped produce, especially those hard-to-manage vegetables (ahem, squash) that are more time-intensive to prepare. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and roast for a side dish or added to salads during the week.
Batch cooking is an efficient way to keep up with your healthy eating goals no matter what time of year. There is a good chance you have already done some batch cooking in the past. If not:
Batch cooking is essentially cooking more than what you need in the moment so you can take advantage of having all of your cooking tools and gadgets out (read: it’s way more efficient!). For example, we often chop up the broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, and wash fruit so that it will be ready to go. This truly increases our intake of fruit and vegetables in addition to saving time in the long run.
Batch cooking shouldn't be confused with leftovers, because batch cooking refers to pre-prepping one component so you can repurpose it later.
For instance:
Need rice or quinoa for your Monday night meal? Make a large batch so you can easily incorporate it in salads and grain bowls all week long.
Making hard-boiled eggs? It takes the same amount of time to make six as it does to make two. Enjoy as a snack, crumble into salads, or mash with some avocado.
Baking sweet potatoes? Make a few more than you need, and you’ll have the base for an easy, customizable lunch ready to go. You can also purée or mash the flesh for baked goods and use in place of pumpkin in a recipe.
Is your least favorite part of cooking the cleanup? I get it! Simplify your life by searching for one-dish meals to seriously cut down on time spent doing the dishes. Here are a few to get you started:
Roasting your favorite protein with seasonal produce is a tasty no-fuss way to incorporate a few servings of vegetables into a meal.
Still learning how to use your Instant Pot? Now would be a good time! Click here for a great help for this.You can get frozen proteins to the table fast with this safe and simple pressure cooker.
A simple 12-minute recipe: frozen protein [like chicken thighs] + favorite jarred tomato sauce + a jar of olives = yummy cacciatore that will have everyone running to the table for dinner. If you use plant-based protein, like dried chickpeas, just soak the dried beans overnight and be sure they are covered with fluid [jarred sauce + some broth] before cooking in Instant Pot.
Can you think of any other kitchen hacks? Write a comment below. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts and experiences. I am still learning every day! You can also email me at: Debbiesuerd@RD-Mom.com
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