by Angie Perez

Created on: May 14, 2008   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

I Found My Thrill On Blueberry Hill (released by Fats Domino in 1956),could be the new battle cry of the war on aging and many other health problems.It seems the blueberry is the Cleopatra of fruits.It is what every other fruit wishes it were.

Our ancient ancestors in America found them to be most beneficial in many ways.They dried the berries in the sun and added them for flavor and color to many foods,such as soups, stews and meats.A special jerky Sautauthig(saw'-taw-teeg) was made with berries and meat and enjoyed year round,venison was the most likely meat used.

The juice was used for coughs and also as a dye for baskets and cloth.And the leaves were made into a tea and used as a blood tonic.

They revered them in lore as well. Because the flower end of the berry,the calyx,creates the perfect five pointed star it was known as the star berry.The ancients told how the Great Spirit had sent the star berries during a great famine to ease the pain of the children.

It seems corn was not the only plant the natives taught the pilgrims about.That's right, it was blueberries at the first Thanksgiving not cranberries.They were also a staple for soldiers during the Civil War.

And the celebrity just keeps growing and spreading around the world.We now know that blueberries can indeed walk the walk. According to a recent study, USDA has landed blueberries as the #1 best source of antioxidants ,negative oxidation properties associated with free radicals,which reek havoc at a cellular level,such as DNA in reproductive cells and neurological receptors,which can interfere with messages to the brain.

And while studies are currently continuing on the phytochemicals,that blueberries are loaded with,primarily anthocynins and phenolic-sin the deep blue and purple hues of the fruit., for their anti aging properties.

Other studies have concluded that these little wonders can benefit us with improved vision,clearing arteries,enhancing memory,stopping urinary tract infections,reversing certain physical and mental ailments associated with aging.

Health Magazine has also listed blueberries as a top source for antioxidants in,A Guide To 50 Super Foods.They state,"Blueberries are a particularly rich source of antioxidants called anthocyanins(also contained in apples,grapes,blackberries,radishes and purple cabbage).Several studies suggest anthocyanins discourage blood clots from forming,warding off heart attacks.They also appear to improve night vision and to slow manacular degeneration by strengthening tiny blood vessels in the back of the eye."

Blueberry fans in the house,over at Prevention Magazine had this to say,"Recent studies even suggest that blueberries may actually reverse the decline in memory that can occur with aging."
Where blueberries are the buzz so is the newest buzz word,Nutriceutical,A combination of Nutrition and pharmaCeutical , the newest way to express a natural based method of achieving good health as opposed to an artificial,lab based method.

I am sure we will hear much more about our very own Little STAR in the near future. We already know enough to convince us to eat this delectable little fruit. And the older we get the more we should probably eat.But just imagine what could be accomplished if we ate adequate amounts of this Little miracle our entire lives.As we enter the new millienia, let's train our children,by example, to eat more blueberries.

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