Tip: Blueberries have disease-fighting antioxidants

If you toss a handful of blueberries into your morning bowl of oatmeal, you are getting a potent mix of antioxidants and cholesterol-lowering fiber. But if you add milk, you may be subtracting some health benefits.

Italian researchers found that proteins in milk impair the antioxidant properties of blueberries. Ounce for ounce, blueberries contain among the highest amount of antioxidants of any foods. Antioxidants help ward off diseases and may protect against Alzheimer's.

The study's authors advise eating blueberries one hour before or after you consume protein-rich foods. The report was published in the medical journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine.