18/09/2019
Do you love BLUEBERRIES? For our Wellness Geek Solutions Wellness Wednesday Tip check out this information about how blueberries can benefit both pets and the people who love them.
If you want to learn more about the health benefits of blueberries in people check out this short article in healthline.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-blueberries
Health Tip of the Week – Nova Scotian Wild Blueberries!
So we went all local on you with our last “Health Tip of the Week” by jumping all over Nova Scotian Kelp!
Then came this question: “Hey Planet Paws, how about a blog on what grows on land, maybe even in our backyards, rather than in sea?”
Cue this week’s request: the Nova Scotian Wild Blueberry!
Now some of you may be wondering what the heck the difference is between a blueberry and a wild blueberry.
Although there are some minor differences, the main distinction is the size of the berry! Regular, cultivated blueberries are a lot larger than the small wild berry. A cup of blueberries may hold 70 berries, whereas a cup of wild blueberries will hold double the amount. The power of the berry comes from the skin, so twice the amount of berries in the cup of wild berries means twice the amount of super antioxidant power!
Time for a quick TV commercial break “Fun Fact”:
“Nova Scotia is the largest processor of wild blueberries in the world and is the second largest producer on earth (2nd only to Maine). As Nova Scotia’s provincial berry it is also renowned for its health benefits having the highest levels of antioxidants of all fruits and vegetables. Wild Blueberries are one of Nova Scotia's most important agricultural crop. They represented 32.8% of our agri-food exports in the year 2000 ($54,317,043).” - Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia
Customer: “I just got a new pet and we need some treats! What do you recommend?”
Planet Paws: “Blueberries. Like other fruits or veggies, the Wild Blueberry can be an awesome training treat!”
Customer: “Blueberries? Are you crazy? I meant like a bone shaped treat.”
Planet Paws: “Are YOU crazy!? Take a look at the ingredients in one of those “bone shaped treats”!
Ingredients: "Wheat flour", "beef bone meal", milk, "wheat bran", beef fat preserved with tocopherols, salt, dicalcium phosphate, "wheat germ", natural flavor, calcium carbonate, "malted barley flour", vitamins (choline chloride, dl-alpha tocopheryl ecetate [vitamin e], "d-activated animal sterol" [source of vitamin d3]), sodium metabisulfite (dough conditioner), ethylenediamine dihydriodide [source of iodine]).
Calories per Large Biscuit: 150
Calories per X-Large Biscuit: 250
So at a mere 71 calories and 2.77g of protein per 1 cup of Wild Blueberries (stats vary on region grown), these tiny blue spheres are packed with antioxidants and nutrients that won’t add weight to you or your pet’s waistline! It’s easy to see which treat is vastly superior here.
“Blueberries for my pets? Aren’t most pets meat eaters?”
While low in fat, high in fiber, no sugar added and high in Vitamin C, yes we agree that not all pets will eat berries. However, many of them do, and if you’re creative enough, there are always ways to sneak berries into any pet’s diet (and even yours for that matter!). Just ask Kelly & Scott Plus 10 (CATS), those cats eat everything! (https://www.facebook.com/KellyScottPlus10cats)
It is pretty hard nowadays to find a bag of pet food or treats that don’t contain blueberries, but, of course, it is not the same thing as feeding them a fresh, raw, wild blueberry. Did you know that foods start to lose their nutritional powers immediately after being harvested? From the time they are harvested and actually reach the supermarket, a week has gone by and that causes these foods to lose 50% of their power. Imagine what nutrients are left in a bag of treats or food!
Science attributes many health benefits to blueberries as they are considered the top antioxidant fruit. No fruit ranks higher than the blueberry (well, except maybe for the Nova Scotian Haskcap Berry, but that’s another blog).
Studies have shown some pretty positive effects when these wild blueberries are added to your pet’s diet.
“One study was conducted in 2006 by the University of Alaska Fairbanks and published by the National Institutes of Health. In the study, sled dogs were fed blueberries as a dietary supplement while exercising. The results showed that the sled dogs had increased levels of antioxidants in the blood, which prevent damage from free radicals. This may have a positive effect on your pet since antioxidants play a role in fighting conditions such as cancer and heart disease.” - NIOH
You guessed it, IT’S TIME FOR THE NUTRITION REEL!
Our wild blueberry, nicknamed the "brain berry" and or "youth berry", packs an arsenal of nutrients under it’s little blue hood, including Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Vitamin E, pyridoxine, folates and pantothenic acid. They contain very good amounts of Vitamin B-6, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and folic acid. These berries also contain amounts of minerals like potassium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc. In addition, they have other flavonoid anti-oxidants such as beta-carotene, lutien and zeaxanthin.
More powerful in antioxidants than the cranberry, strawberry, raspberry, cherry, pomegranate, and even the cultivated blueberry, the wild blueberry offers more of what it takes to combat disease and promote healthy aging!
There’s more!
The Nova Scotian Wild Blueberry helps aid you and your pet with the following:
· Studies show a blueberry-enriched diet may improve cognitive function in older dogs. Because blueberries are rich in natural antioxidants which play an important role in preventing a increase of oxidative damage in brain aging. Older dogs that consume blueberries and other antioxidants over several years are more able to perform tasks, and learn new ones, than old dogs that were fed an average diet;
· Rids harmful oxygen-derived free radicals from the body;
· Fights cancer, degenerative diseases, and infections : inhibitors of both the initiation and promotion stages of cancer;
· Helps lower blood sugar levels and control blood glucose levels in type-II diabetes mellitus condition;
· Source of manganese, which is important for bone development;
· A diet high in fiber is beneficial to both heart and gastrointestinal health;
· Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant in the body and is also necessary for optimal immune system function;
· Helps with nerve function and protein metabolism;
· Phosphorus is the major structural component of bone and is necessary for the function of all cells;
· Protects against heart disease in pets;
· Helps abdominal fat loss;
· Improves memory;
· Helps with urinary tract health;
· Helps with vision health (In Japan, the wild blueberry is called "the vision fruit" for its ability to relieve eyestrain);
· Inhibits the growth of Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), a particularly aggressive and hard to treat form of breast tumor;
· Prevents inflammation and atherosclerosis;
· May reduce risk from cardiovascular disease;
· May protect the heart muscle from damage, according to scientists at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and the National Institute on Aging. In this study blueberries appear to act as both an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent in animal models;
· Reduces cholesterol;
· Promotes good bacteria in the stomach;
· Phytochemicals help alleviate hyperglycemia, a condition associated with diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Fed in a multitude of ways, including raw, frozen, pureed, in treats or in food, natural wild blueberries are terrific for our pets and family.
Of course, raw, washed berries are the best to feed your pet. Store them in the fridge for about a week on average. Do not wash them until you’re ready to eat them because they will spoil faster!
With wild blueberries being seasonal, buy them and freeze them. Then serve them as a crunchy treat. Frozen berries will keep for up to 2 years.
Avoid berries with sugar or preservatives. They’re OK for us, but our pet’s system may not process this too well!
If you want to add them directly to your pet’s food, then make sure you don’t just add them, but that you replace a small portion of their food. Swap in and swap out so you don’t overfeed.
Always keep in mind: moderation, variation, and balance when it comes to all of our diets! The key factor to safety and health is how much to give and the way you give them to your pet. The amount will always depend on the size of your pet and it’s probably safest to feed occasionally rather than daily.
Some nutritionists say 10 or less berries a day for a small dog or cat is fine, but too many will lead to diarrhea and gastric upset. You know your pet better than anyone else, so be watchful for a reaction when first feeding them to your furry companion!
Because we are not sure if your pet is allergic to wild blueberries, try one or two at first and then go from there. Just stay away from the moldy, gross ones.
If you don’t have the pleasure of having wild blueberries growing in your backyard, then plant them in your garden. You will find this a lot cheaper than having to drive back and forth to buy them, and you’ll help reduce your carbon footprint.
