Eating Heart Healthy: Tasty Ways to Incorporate Blueberries into Meals & Snacks

Small food swaps and adjustments to daily habits can make a noticeable difference in your heart health — and here's one that doesn't sacrifice flavor.

Blueberries.

Brenda Garcia, corporate dietitian at United Supermarkets, notes that blueberries are Heart-Check certified by the American Heart Association, indicating they meet the organization's criteria for heart-healthy food and pack only about 80 calories per serving.

"Each serving of blueberries (about a handful or cup) is a good source of fiber, which helps support heart and digestive health," Garcia said. "When you grab that boost of blue, you also get other essential vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants."

They're pretty versatile, too. Grab them straight out of the fridge or add them to yogurt or pancakes.

"I also like to mix them with a few walnuts for some crunch or sweetness, smash them up and use them in place of jelly on a PB&J," Garcia said. "Or add them to a whole grain tortilla with some light cream cheese and cinnamon to make breakfast quesadillas."

You can find more ways to incorporate blueberries into your meal plan at United Supermarkets' recipe page, including:

• Blueberry Breakfast Pops
• Apple Blueberry Oatmeal Streusel
• Blueberry Peach Crisp
• Blueberry Walnut Overnight Oats

Plenty of options, right? The next time you're out shopping at your local United Supermarkets store, be sure to add some fresh blueberries to your cart.

You can find other heart-healthy options by looking for the "Heart Lifestyle" tags, which are red. They are just one of the series of lifestyle tags United Supermarkets dietitions use to identify foods that align with various needs, including carb conscious, paleo friendly, no sugar added, and low fat. Learn more at unitedsupermarkets.com/lifestyle-tags.