These risk factors increase a person’s risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as type 2 diabetes and stroke. Several other risk factors also increase your chances of developing metabolic syndrome: an inactive lifestyle, insulin resistance in which the body can’t use insulin efficiently, gender, and race. Men are more likely than women to develop metabolic syndrome.
And when whites and blacks have the same body mass index (BMI), whites are at a greater risk than blacks. Metabolic syndrome represents a health challenge that impacts more than one-third of the U.S. population.
Blueberries are convenient, versatile, and filled with nutritional goodness. Fresh or frozen blueberries are a nutrition powerhouse loaded with vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, and potassium. Blueberries are also a good source of fiber, containing 3.6 grams of fiber per cup.
The following tips will help you successfully make blueberries part of your meal plan.
When to buy. Although peak blueberry season in the U.S. runs from April to late September, fresh blueberries are available year-round. From October to March, fresh blueberries are imported from South America.
How to buy. When you buy fresh blueberries, look for berries that are dry, firm, plump and smooth-skinned, with a dusty blue color and uniform size. The color of the blueberry is a good indicator of maturity. Blueberries should be deep purple-blue to blue-black.