Love it: getting my blueberry fix frozen or fresh

I buy frozen organic berries from the marvellous OOB, defrost them in the fridge and add them to my porridge and/or smoothies every day, and it seems that I am not alone as a lover of great frozen fruit

Kiwi supermarket spend on frozen fruit has apparently risen 21.5 per cent in the last year and this winter looks like upping the ante even further as research demonstrates that some fruits are just as packed with health benefits frozen or fresh.

The hero of the bunch is my fave the blueberry, with new studies making it clear they can be safely frozen without doing damage to their status as phytonutrient superstars. Blueberries feature many delicate antioxidant nutrients, including several different anthocyanins, the pigments that give many foods shades like blue, purple, and red. Fresh or frozen these superstar nutrients continue to flourish, making frozen blueberries a winter freezer essential for baking, sauces, smoothies and more.

Blueberry anthocyanins feature complex nutrients, including malvidins, delphinidins, pelargonidins, cyanidins, and peonidins. In addition to their anthocyanins, blueberrries also contain hydroxycinnamic acids (an important source of antioxidants linked with the prevention of various diseases associated with oxidative stress, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases), hydroxybenzoic acids (helping to protect our cells against oxidative damage), and flavonols (active antioxidants that may protect your health through their ability to fight inflammation and neutralise free radicals).

These little blue balls of awesomeness also pack a powerful punch of unique, phenol-like antioxidants pterostilbene and resveratrol, which are currently generating buzz in the health and beauty industries, as well as vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese, fibre and copper.

After freezing blueberries at temperatures of -17°C or lower for periods of time between 3-6 months, researchers have discovered no significant lowering of overall antioxidant capacity or anthocyanin concentrations. These findings are great news for anyone who has restricted access to fresh blueberries at certain times of the year but can find them in the freezer section of the supermarket, meaning whole body antioxidant support all year round. Hurrah!