I love blueberries. And recently they've gotten a lot of press, making practically every nutritional top ten list for their antioxidant content. Even so, it's always bothered me a little that they're not the most sustainable choice for someone like me, living in the desert, far from any blueberry farm. So I've been in search of alternatives that might be more logical choices when blueberries are not in season, and for people who do not live where blueberries are cultivated.
A few weeks ago I was excited to learn that hibiscus contains the same anthocyanins as blueberries. It's a popular tea here in the desert, and I've begun to ask for it in coffeehouses and restaurants.
Yesterday, on behalf of a reader living in the Netherlands who posted that she was looking for good teas over there, I looked up rosehips, a popular tea in Europe. And bingo! They contain anthocyanins as well. They also contain twice the daily recommendations for vitamin C, another powerful antioxidant.
Rosehips are readily available in Europe and the United States. They were popular with Native Americans in their cooking. Supports my"big picture" theory that if you are knowledgeable about local foods, you can often find the essentials right in your backyard. No need to import expensive foods from exotic locations in order to eat completely.
Plus, you can use hibiscus and rosehips teas while managing the overall carbohydrate content of your diet more effectively than you could eating large amounts of fruit. (Not that fruit is bad, it just needs to be consumed with respect.)
Interestingly, one reference I found described a rosehips-hibiscus tea that I'm interested in…that would definitely be a find for my suntea collection!
An interesting note, several places on the Internet mentioned that rosehips contain vitamin D, but I have not been able to find credible references to verify that. You'll best insure good vitamin D balance if you include other foods for that nutrient.