by Frances Stanford

Created on: June 28, 2009

Who would have thought that the tiny blueberry that grows wild in many parts of the world would be such a healthy fruit to eat? Research has shown that these fruits have many health benefits because of the many antioxidants they contain. Antioxidants are thought to help the body in its fight against free radicals that lead to illness and disease. Blueberries contain many of these antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and E, in addition to high amounts of phenolics and anthocyanins.

Blueberries also contain many anti-aging properties. In experiments conducted with mice on this health aspect of this fruit, it was found that a control group who were fed blueberries as part of their diet performed much better on tasks requiring memory and behavioural learning. In tests performed on humans, those who did have blueberries in the diet were able to perform significantly higher than their counterparts who did not consume any blueberries at all.

Researchers believe that the coloring of the berry has a lot to do with this anti-aging property as well as its anti-inflammatory properties. Making blueberries a part of your daily diet can help in controlling inflammations in many different parts of the body.

Components known as proanthocyanidins in blueberries are also known to aid in the health of the urinary tract. These components help prevent the occurrence of urinary infections because they prevent bacteria from attaching itself to the cells in the wall of the urinary tract.

Those who are trying to lose weight will have an ally in their efforts when they include these fruits in their daily diet. They are very low in calories and are very flavourful. This makes them a great snack to take with you for lunch or to have when you feel hunger pangs coming on.

Your eyes, too, can benefit from blueberries. The photonutrients in the berries help to neutralize any damage that free radicals can do to your eyes, such as causing cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma. These fruits have also been found to reduce the severity or varicose veins, heart disease, peptic ulcers and some forms of cancer. In fact doctors regularly advise their patients to incorporate them into the diet as a preventative measure.

White wine has long been touted as protectorant for the heart because of the health benefits of grapes. Researchers now believe that the blueberry surpasses this wine in protecting the heart and increasing the cardiovascular health of the body.

You can eat blueberries in many different ways. Wash the fruit and eat the raw berries, make them into jams and sauces or add them to cookies, muffins and cakes. Whichever way you prefer you will not only have great tasting food but food that will improve the overall health of your body.

Sources:

http://www.blueberry.org/Antioxidant.pdf

http://www.blueberry.org/health/blueberries%20and%20 aging.pdf

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=8

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