Many nutritious foods exist that can help you live a longer, healthier, and more active life.

But what if there was a single healthy snack that stood above the rest?

Well, one leading physician says there is — and it's something you should include in your daily diet.

The 1 food I never miss

I just added something totally crazy to the smoothie I have for breakfast every morning.

Before, it used to be a blend of banana, blueberry, and either spinach or kale, with a dash of cherry juice for taste, along with water and ice.

Just recently, I began adding a small handful of almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds.

This smoothie actually rules.

It’s delicious, keeps me satisfied for hours, quick to prepare, easy to clean up, and super convenient to enjoy.

I can continue my day with confidence, knowing that I've already consumed most of the essential nutrients required for a long and healthy life.

After that, I hardly have to concern myself with my diet anymore.

In my opinion, it’s the ideal dish, honestly, so I have to commend myself.

But imagine a scenario where a malicious nutritionist threatens me, saying, "You have to pick just one of these ingredients to keep forever — the rest have to be abandoned."

I can't imagine why someone would make that decision, but I definitely know what I would choose.

There are plenty of great reasons I enjoy eating blueberries daily.

And, as it happens, I'm not alone in this.

A doctor’s top choice

This week, I stumbled across an article where a leading doctor shared his thoughts on why he considers blueberries to be the 'holy grail' of foods for promoting good health.

In an article for CNBC, Dr. Neil Paulvin, a physician and specialist in regenerative medicine, explains that he consumes blueberries daily because they shield the body "like a suit of armor."

According to Dr. Paulvin, they utilize six distinct methods to achieve this.

1. The antioxidants protect your cells from harm.
2. Their Vitamin C content helps maintain healthy eyesight.
3. Recent research indicates they lessen muscle damage.
4. They make you smarter — a study discovered they can slow down mental aging by over 2 years.
5. The blend of nutrients found in blueberries may help lower inflammation throughout the body.
6. Fiber has the potential to reduce your cholesterol levels.

Blueberries truly are an incredibly potent food in numerous aspects.

However, there's one main reason I began eating them daily that surpasses all others.

‘Brain berries’

If you've been keeping up with my work for a while, you'll know I've always been a huge fan of blueberries because of their well-documented cognitive advantages.

I recently discussed this topic in an article titled “This is the one most important food I eat every single day.”

In it, I explain:

About two decades ago, I developed a fascination with blueberries while I was deeply engrossed in an obsession with poker.

If you're familiar with the game's history, you're likely aware of the monumental win by accountant Chris Moneymaker at the World Series of Poker in 2003. This victory sparked the modern poker boom.

The height of the boom was reached three years after, when Jamie Gold clinched the largest main event prize ever, amounting to $12,000,000.

"The event has been held annually—except possibly during COVID, though I haven't looked into it—and the $82 million prize pool has never been surpassed since."

Anyway, the point of my tangent is that Jamie Gold had an unusual habit at the poker table (many players have their quirks). He would snack on blueberries during games and believed they contributed to his significant win. ‘Brain food’, he called them..

Around that time, I recall coming across a book by Dr. Daniel Amen, where he praised the antioxidant benefits and cognitive enhancement properties of blueberries.

I'm not certain which book it was, possibly Magnificent Mind at Any Age (affiliate link there), but I think he called them “brain berries.”

Anyway, it stuck with me, because I was really focused on maximizing my brain potential at the time.

Blueberries for life

At that time, my aspiration was to be incredibly intelligent.

At this point, my main goal is to survive and maintain a sharp, healthy mind during my time here.

As I noted in that article, I struggled with a long-term drinking problem that I managed to overcome just recently.

I feel a deep regret for the harm I've done internally, although I do believe blueberries played a part in minimizing the external damage.

All the way up to the conclusion of my drinking days, I would still, at times, get ID’ed at the liquor store.

I'm not sure if my relatively good health, despite a 15-year history of heavy drinking, can be credited to eating the healthiest food every day.

However, I bet that having the 'suit of armor' came in handy.

Hey pals, much appreciated for sticking with me till the very end! If you liked this article, please give it a clap or two to help others discover it and drop a comment to share your thoughts!