by Craig Hubley

Created on: May 15, 2008   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

Blueberry, properly section Cyanococcus of genus Vaccinium, grows wild only from Newfoundland to West Virginia and Michigan, where they sometimes form natural blueberry barrens dominated by this "superfruit". Northern Highbush Blueberries (corymbosum) are most commonly cultivated but many varieties now grow all over the world. Names of other wild berries such as bilberry often have names that translate as "blue berry". French meticulously distinguishes North American "bleuets" from European "myrtilles". Two rules to help you distinguish: Blueberries cluster on the branch instead of growing singly, and have light green not dark bilberry pulp.

North American natives, especially Mi'kmaq of Nova Scotia and Maine where wild berries remain abundant, knew of many health benefits. Towns in both places claim to be "the wild blueberry capital". The state and the province each laud it as their official fruit. Quebec however produces more blueberries than either. Bees pollinate the crop: Maine alone requires 50,000 hives. Farmers refer to bees as "flying $50 bills".

Natives dried berries, mixing with cornmeal, honey, and water as a pudding used to treat coughs, relax during childbirth, combat diarrhea. Anthocyanin, an antioxidant, also has mild antibiotic properties, especially against intestinal bacteria. Like the European bilberry and other deep blue berries, studies suggest that blueberries reduce varicose veins, thrombosis, angina, aid circulation, reduce blood pressure and prevent hardening of the arteries. Clear clinical proof of these vasoactive, vasoprotective and anti-angiogenic effects is limited - but animal studies consistently show benefits, some of them extraordinary.

All blueberries are loaded with iron, vitamins C and E, anthocyanins and antioxidant pigments - wild berries even more so. These and other blueberry nutrients inhibit cancer cell growth [1]. They may also slow cognitive decline caused by Alzheimer's or age. Animal studies show that blueberries reduce stroke damage, lower cholesterol and blood lipids, keeping hearts healthy and blood pressure low.

Whatever their other benefits, blueberries are unbeatable in one respect. US Department of Agriculture scientists found they had more antioxidants than any of 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables [2]: Twice that of spinach and three times that of oranges.

[1] Several studies including:

Srivastava A, Akoh CC, Fischer J, Krewer G. Effect of anthocyanin fractions from selected cultivars of Georgia-grown blueberries on apoptosis and phase II enzymes. Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry (JAFC). 2007 Apr 18;55(8):3180-5.

Schmidt BM, Erdman JW Jr, Lila MA. Differential effects of blueberry proanthocyanidins on androgen sensitive and insensitive human prostate cancer cell lines. Cancer Letter 2006 Jan 18;231(2):240-6.

Yi W, Fischer J, Krewer G, Akoh CC. Phenolic compounds from blueberries can inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. JAFC 2005 Sep 7;53(18):7320-9.

[2] Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity tests by USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging

Wu X, Beecher GR, Holden JM, Haytowitz DB, Gebhardt SE, Prior RL. "Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of common foods in the United States," JAFC, 2004, 52:4026-4037.

Prior RL, Cao G, Martin A, Sofic E, McEwen, J, O'Brien C Lischner N, Ehlenfeldt M, Kalt W, Krewer G, Mainland CM. "Antioxidant capacity as influenced by total phenolic and anthocyanin content, maturity, and variety of Vaccinium species," JAFC, 1998, 46:2686-2693.

Learn more about this author, Craig Hubley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.