July is National Blueberry Month, and we’re sure thrilled! Blueberries are one of our favorite fruits. We especially love the intense, sweet flavor of dried blueberries. They’re great in muffins, breads, cookies and trail mix, but our favorite way to eat them is by the handful!

Our sweet dried blueberries are a great source of all the good stuff that blueberries have to offer, including antioxidants and vitamin C. Blueberries have also been shown to improve vision, clear arteries, strengthen blood vessels, enhance memory, stop urinary tract infections, reverse age-related physical and mental decline, and promote weight control.

Our regular dried blueberries contain added sugar, but we also offer sugar-free freeze dried blueberries that are just as sweet. Our crunchy and delicious freeze dried blueberries have the delicious flavor of fresh-picked blueberries. Our freeze dried blueberries are free of added sugar and preservatives.

We love our organic wild blueberries, which are picked at the peak of the season and sweetened with just a touch of organic cane sugar. These organic wild blueberries, certified by the CCOF, are perfect for sprinkling on salads and mixing into homemade trail mix for an easy, delicious snack.

Our natural dried blueberries really are something special. Sweetened with all-natural apple juice, rather than sugar or corn syrup, natural dried blueberries are the perfect treat for snackers of all ages. Try mixing a serving of natural dried blueberries with a handful of walnuts or pistachio nuts for an extra-special snack. You’ll be happy you gave it a try!

What are some of your favorite ways to enjoy blueberries?

Happy Fourth of July! There’s no better way to celebrate this special holiday than by supporting the troops. If you’re looking for a way to show our servicemen and servicewomen abroad that you appreciate their service, we can help. Through our Nuts for Our Troops program, Nuts.com has worked with our customers to ship thousands of care packages to those serving abroad.

If you already have a loved one serving overseas, ordering is easy! Simply choose the items that you want to send to them and enter their APO/FPO address during checkout. You can also send your loved one a Nuts for Our Troops care package by emailing us at CustomerService@Nuts.com immediately after placing your order.

If you don’t know a soldier personally but still want to help out, never fear! For the low price of $30 (which includes shipping), we’ll send a delicious snack pack to one of the servicemen or servicewomen listed on our online database of stationed troops. The 7 lb. snack pack contains delicious treats such as gummy bears, sunflower seeds, dried mango and Power Mix. It’s a wonderful way to show the troops you care!

One of the fantastic aspects of our Nuts for Our Troops program is that every military-related order we receive makes a difference. To make an even larger impact, we donate 10 percent of proceeds from all military-related orders back into our Nuts for Our Troops program. That’s a lot of care packages!

We’re proud of the troops here at Nuts.com, and we’re incredibly pleased that so many of our customers have joined us in supporting them. If you know someone who is serving abroad and might like to receive a care package, be sure to send their name and contact info to us at CustomerService@Nuts.com. We love to add names and addresses to our database so we can send as many packages as possible!

We hope you and your love ones have a safe, happy and healthy Fourth of July. If you’re a serviceman or servicewoman, thank you for your service! We appreciate it!

Our Health Nut and Registered Dietitian, Molly Morgan, answers our customers’ most pressing health and nutrition questions!

If you’d like Molly to answer one of your questions in a future blog post, please email your question to health@nuts.com. If we feature your question in The Nutty Scoop, we will also send you a pound of your favorite Nuts.com product!

I’m overweight and need to lose another 50 lbs.  I exercise regularly and usually at high intensity (I just did a triathlon last Saturday – yay me!).  I’m looking for something nutritious with carbs and protein that will help me recover from my workouts.  I want to stay away from foods that are high in fat, sugar, calories, and artificial ingredients.  Oh, and the snack needs to be portable without having to be kept cold.  Have I asked for the impossible?! — Mary

Congratulations on completing the triathalon!

A blend of carbohydrates and protein after a workout is the perfect nutrient mix to refuel tired muscles. Aim for mostly carbohydrates and some protein and, of course, remember water!  Carbohydrates are very important, especially following a high intensity workout because a majority of the fuel used by the body for high intensity workouts comes from forms of carbohydrates in the body, such as glucose (blood sugars) and glycogen (stored carbohydrates). Replenishing carbohydrates after a workout helps to refuel your tired muscles and prepare your body for the next workout.

There are a few great snacks that incorporate both carbohydrates from dried fruit and protein from nuts and/or seeds:

• Organic Raw Cacao Goji Energy Squares – Two squares have 100 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrates and two grams of protein
• Honey Pistachio Energy Squares - Two squares has 120 calories, 12 grams carbs and 4 grams protein
• Cranberry Apricot Energy Squares - Two squares will have 130 calories, 12 grams carbs and 5 grams protein.

Another great option is to add 1-2 ounces of dried fruit to your almonds (or your favorite nut).  Try dried apricots (29 grams of carbohydrates per 1.4 ounces) or dried cranberries (33 grams of carbohydrates per 1.4 ounces).