Nutrition and Health Benefits From Blueberries
The Blueberries
By: Dan Gerhardt, D.C.
Blueberries, the pop-and-mush caviar of summer picnics. Squirrels have been known to bust a move and play dodgeball with them and foxes have, on occasion, cleverly strung them up and hocked them off as rare pearls to unsuspecting beavers and badgers. On the down side, just be aware that our little blue buddies are prone to suffer from little, big-man syndrome, particularly around grapes and muscadines.
Blueberries are blue and they are berries, hence the name. I wonder what genius thought that one up. You would think that they would have at least come up with a pleasant sounding latin name for the plant (something like augustiflorium callicarpus), but no - they got stuck with vaccinium uliginosum, which sounds like a toxic substance that the Center for Disease Control reccommends for the swine flu. But toxic they are not and dis-ease control they may be.
Blueberries in History
Interestingly enough, blueberries were widely used in Russian folk medicine for digestive problems. Native Americans used blueberry leaves in medicinal teas which were thought to be good for the blood and they also used blueberry juice to treat coughs, constipation, and diarrhea. During World War II, British Royal Air Force pilots consumed bilberries (a blueberry relative), which reportedly improved their night vision. Later studies show a sound basis for these practices because blueberries are high in bioflavonoids which are used by the rods of the eyes for night vision, have antiseptic properties, and acts as an astrigent which assists in the regulation of the water content of the stool.
Nutritional & Health Benefits From Blueberries
Blueberries are delicious, nutrient-packed powerhouses that provide you with pectin-rich fiber, a good dose of Vitamin C, some Vitamin E, potassium, iron, and many other vitamins and minerals that are essential for good health. If this were not enough, blueberries contain other chemical compounds, called flavonoids, such as tannins, phenols, and anthocyanins, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect your body from the damaging effects of compounds present in the body called free radicals, which can lead to cancer, heart disease, and other age-related diseases. Blueberries provide more antioxidant benefits than the vast majority of other fruits.
Current studies have shown that blueberries can help:
- Reduce risk of cancers
- Reduce inflammation
- Promote urinary tract health
- Boost memory function
- Improve vision
- Slow the aging process
- Protect against bacterial infections
- Strengthen heart and blood vessels
- Regulate bowel function
- Lower cholesterol
Blueberries are very easy to grow. Taking in a handful or two a day is a good idea and a sound practice. Blueberries can be eaten by themselves, sprinkled on cereal, mixed in with some granola and yogurt, or easily blended into a protien shake or smoothie. Either way, all you have to do is eat them...nature does the rest. The following is a list of some of the main vitamins and minerals found in blueberries:
- Vitamin C - an important antioxidant that boosts the immune system and is essential for healthy teeth, gums, skin, bones and joints. The vitamin C content in blueberries vary according to the variety of blueberry (wild berries contain the most). On average, one cup of blueberries will give you 30% of your RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of Vitamin C.
- Vitamin E - an antioxidant which helps in cancer prevention and boosts the immune system. Our bodies can't make it, so we must consume it though our diet. Essential for skin health and wound healing. One cup of blueberries will give you about 7% of your RDA of Vitamin E.
- Vitamin A - a retinoid essential for healthy skin, eyes and bones, immune function and cell development. Vitamin A is a free radical scavenger and a defender against aging.
- Niacin - helps convert food into energy and is important for skin, the nervous and digestive systems.
- Betacarotene - an antioxidant that gathers in the fatty tissue under your skin, where it protects against UV damage.
- Riboflavin - helps your metabolism (energy production) and keeps your skin and eyes healthy.
- Thiamin - necessary for metabolism and a healthy heart, brain and nerve cells.
- Iron - is a mineral essential for the formation of hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is the part of your blood that carries oxygen through the body. Not enough hemoglobin means too little oxygen circulating with the blood and a diagnosis of anemia.
- Silicon - a trace mineral (found predominantly in blueberry leaves, but also in the berry), which is believed to be able to rejuvenate the pancreas.
- Potassium - a mineral essential for blood pressure, water balance, muscles, nerves, digestion, and maintaining the regular beat of your heart.
- Manganese - an essential trace mineral responsible for making enzymes that metabolise fat and proteins. Also important for bone formation, insulin balance, the health of connective tissues and thyroid function.
- Fiber - Fiber is made up of undigestible bits of plant that add roughage and bulk to food in the gut, aiding in efficient elimination and a healthy digestive system. The pectin-rich fiber in blueberries is soluble and shown in several studies to be effective in lowering cholesterol.
- Flavonoids - substances found in plants that have antioxidant effects. Anthocyanin is the most well-known flavonoid, but blueberries also contain catechin, myricetin, quercetin, ankaempferol, and epicatechin.
Until next time, don't forget to grow and eat your blueberries!
Dan Gerhardt, D.C.
Other Articles by Dr. Dan
SEE: An Introduction to Vegetable & Fruit Nutrition