by Sam Smart

Created on: May 15, 2008   Last Updated: June 17, 2010

Blueberries may be small, but they often give way to a number of uses for health and cooking benefits. Many cooks refer to these bite-sized fruits for elegant touches to their sweet foods. Blueberries have the authority to become processed into syrup and then be used for topping off breakfast favorites such as waffles and pancakes. Frozen blueberries are often included in recipes for making thick smoothies.

In addition to tasting delicious from blueberries, the fruit is extremely healthy and is noted for treatments to various health problems, like heart diseases. Indeed, blueberries are very ideal for the heart and blood. Many people can enjoy munching on the blueberries or using them to cook meals while receiving such health benefits at the same time.

*The History of Blueberries & Their Chronicles

Blueberries are part of the American history for centuries. The obvious use of the fruit was started by the Northeast Native Americans. This tribe ventured into forests and bogs, scoring bundles of fresh and preserved blueberries. The Natives were very eager to use the fruit that had a pure potential for meals, crafts, and health issues. According to the elders of the Native American tribe, the blueberries were even used to chase hunger away from children. This belief is given to the courtesy of the blueberries' actual appearances. Each blueberry has a blossom that is perfectly star-shaped. The elders told stories about the Great Spirit, which would deliver "star berries" to the starving children during a famine.

Of course, the Native Americans didn't use the blueberries to just ease children's hunger. This northeastern tribe believed that the berries' leaves can help the flowing of blood. The Natives also processed the blueberries to create juice to soothe coughs. This juice was ideal to create dye for cloth and baskets. The tribe then used the blueberries that were dried for a variety of stews, soups, and meats. As a matter of fact, those dried-up berries were even used to dissolve into powder and eventually transferred into the meat for an explosion of flavor.

*Health Benefits from Blueberries

They are still many more exciting benefits from the blueberries. They are so healthy, several studies prove that the berries have the highest concentration of antioxidants than any other fruit. Blueberries contain vitamins A, C, and E, while maintaining good amounts of potassium, manganese, and magnesium. A tremendous amount of flavanoids is included as well, which support the blood flow and the brain in a human body.

Blueberries are also known to reduce the risks of cancer that is contributed by cell damage. The blueberries' skin color, which has a shade of deep blue, contains anthocynanins, an antioxidant that can detract heart diseases in humans. This substance can even battle E. coli. Chlorogenic acid can fight damaging radicals, and pterostilbine, which is another antioxidant, has the ability to decrease cholesterol.

Blueberries not only taste great but are very nutritious as well. Traditionally being found in small plastic boxes, they can be purchased in virtually every grocery store. Aside the appreciative benefits from the blueberries, the fruit can also cause some serious prolonged stains onto human skins and clothing. In this case, extra care must be taken to avoid allowing the blueberries' juices to jump and penetrate into the skin and clothing.

Sources

In Mama's Kitchen (http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/Nutrition/Blueberries .html)

Naturalnews.com (http://www.naturalnews.com/023039.html)

Overlake Naturals (http://www.pan-am-llc.com/history_blueberry.htm)

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