Blueberries – properties, nutrients, effect on health

Proven content

Blueberries are one of those fruits that you should include in your daily diet. They are not only tasty, but also healthy. They inhibit diarrhea and help in the treatment of food poisoning. Thanks to them, blood sugar levels are reduced – also in diabetics. It is worth learning about the properties of berries, which can offer more than just being a tasty addition to desserts.

1. Berries can still be used as natural remedies for us
2. We find in them, among others vitamins: C, A, B, PP and a lot of fiber
3. Blueberries help, among others in diarrhea, help reduce the level of bad cholesterol, relieve pain
4. More information can be found on the TvoiLokony home page

Blueberries have many health-promoting properties. They appear in July, so their fans have little time to enjoy them. When antibiotics were not yet known, the fruit was even used to treat typhus and staphylococcus. Berries can be found in most of the forests, in shady corners.

Blueberries – properties

Blueberries are a real treasury of many precious nutrients. They are easy to find, and in July, picking a full pot of blueberries is not a difficult task. These little fruits can still be used as natural remedies for us. Thanks to them, you can get rid of ailments such as:

1. diarrhea – the fastest way to cure it is with blueberry juice or infusion of berry leaves. It is due to the tannins that seal the gastric mucosa. Tannins help neutralize harmful metabolic products and slow down the work of the intestines. What’s more, blueberry juice neutralizes toxins that cause poisoning and protects against pneumoconiosis. The drink is recommended, among others miners, quarries and cement plant workers. 
2. increased cholesterol – acai berries – thanks to the content of, among others, oleic acid – reduce the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) and support the production of the desired one. The ingredients present in them strengthen the capillaries, which thus become a tight barrier and do not let cholesterol (LDL) through. Goji berries are also effective. Both can also be taken prophylactically.
3. pain, regulation of blood sugar levels – an infusion of dried blueberries will help us calm down and relieve pain, while the syrup will reduce coughs and help fight respiratory system infections. Blueberries are called plant insulin – this is due to the glucokinins present in them.
4. harmful bacteria – berries have compounds similar to those found in cranberries. Thanks to them, bacteria do not stick to the walls of the bladder, which protects it against inflammation of the urinary tract.
5. cancer – blueberries are a rich source of antioxidants that destroy free radicals. They also have a beneficial effect on the eye capillaries and support the regeneration of the foreign pigment in the retina, which is responsible for vision after dark. Thanks to mythylin contained in antioxidants, blood vessels are made more flexible. 

Blueberries – nutrients

Blueberries are a source of many vitamins and minerals. Among the mineral elements, it is necessary to distinguish: selenium, copper, zinc and manganese. In addition, we can find vitamins C, A, B, PP. Blueberries are also a rich source of fiber. It causes a large amount of cholesterol to be removed from the digestive system along with toxins and bile acids, preventing it from entering the blood vessels.

There are also phytoestrogens in blueberries. These are plant hormones that inhibit enzymes responsible for the formation of hormone-dependent cancers (e.g. liver or thyroid). Folic and ellagic acids, which are also found in blueberries, have a similar effect.

Blueberries – pharmacy products

Berry extract can be found in many preparations available at the pharmacy. Both fresh blueberries and extracts from their leaves will be helpful in regulating blood sugar levels. Dried berry leaves are found, for example, in diabetosan, a mixture of herbs for diabetics. Moreover, berry extracts can also be found in ophthalmic preparations, as they support the treatment of microcirculation disorders in the eyeball and diseases of the retina.

Blueberries – use in the kitchen

One of the most famous ways to process berries is to make juice. To prepare it, you will need: two liters of berries, a liter of water and sugar (approximately 2-3 cups). The berries must first be washed and put into sugar water. The whole thing should be heated until the fruit dissolves. The juice should be strained, poured into bottles and pasteurized at 80 degrees C for 30 minutes.

Gourmets of meat dishes can prepare a chutney from the berries. To make it you will need: 2-3 cups of blueberries, 1/2 kg of sour apples, 1/4 kg of onion, 1/4 kg of sugar, 3/4 cup of vinegar (preferably 65%) and a pinch of salt, a bunch of mint and spices ( coriander, chili and ginger). Add the berries and the rest of the ingredients to the boiling water and wait for the sauce to thicken.

Blueberries, just like strawberries, can be used to prepare cakes, desserts or bake sweet rolls. However, they can also be used as decorations for cakes, ice cream and cake creams. In addition, the berries taste great in combination with pasta or as a stuffing for dumplings. They can be used to prepare various dishes, just in time for warm summer days.

Blueberry is a fruit that can be frozen. It is worth freezing part of the summer harvest so that in winter you can add them to cakes, desserts or tea. In addition to the taste values blueberry helps to heal constipation and is a dietary supplement used by people with visual impairments.

Berries – storage

We can store raw berries in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To extend the shelf life, the berries should be properly prepared in advance. It is advisable to clean them from garbage and spoiled fruit. The container in which the berries will be stored should be clean and contain holes for ventilation. At the bottom of the container, it is worth putting a paper towel to absorb moisture – thanks to it, no mold will form.

Blueberries should not be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator. The temperature in this area impedes ventilation and promotes the formation of moisture. These factors will accelerate the formation of mold. The best place is in the middle of the container. Alternatively, we can put the fruit on the bottom shelf. Before we start freezing them, let’s check if they are not broken and damp.

Properly frozen berries can stay in the refrigerator for up to a year. Before freezing them, it is necessary to cut off unnecessary twigs and put the fruit in plastic bags. Products packed in this way can be frozen again later. Having a supply of blueberries will be useful, for example, for making cocktails, drinks, stuffing and cakes.

Blueberry juice – a natural slimming agent

One of the most beneficial substances in berry juice are polyphenols, which influence the differentiation of adiopocytes, i.e. fat cells that synthesize and store simple fats. Polyphenols reduce the production of adipose tissue cells in which fat is stored.

Although natural blueberry juice supports the weight loss process, it is not as effective as raw blueberries. Researchers from the University of Reading studied that during thermal processing, i.e. baking and cooking, some polyphenols are removed. Processing the berries into pasteurized juice causes the greatest losses. However, the shorter the pasteurization time, the more polyphenols remain in the drink.

People interested in including blueberries in the reduction diet can be recommended to eat even wild ones. It turns out that those growing in Poland have up to 1,5 times more needed nutrients than farmed blueberries (e.g. blueberries).

Acai or goji berry? – similarities and differences

Acai berries were discovered in the nineteenth century. They are called Brazilian palm berries and come from South America. They look like blueberries and have a dark purple color and a sweet taste. Goji berries, on the other hand, are oblong and have a red-orange color. The latter rot faster, so you should dry them immediately after picking them.

Both goji berries and acai berries are sources of antioxidants and other valuable nutrients. However, the former contain slightly more vitamins A and E and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, zinc and calcium. Acai berries are a rich source of antioxidants – they are phytosterols and anthocyanin.

Both types of berries have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system and facilitate falling asleep. They improve concentration and support the treatment of sexual disorders. Due to the high content of carotenoids in goji berries, they are more often chosen for all medical treatments, e.g. for eye treatment. Nevertheless, eating unripe goji berries can poison and disrupt the functions of the nervous system.

Lovers of both types of berries appreciate them for slowing down the aging process of the body. Here, however, it is difficult to indicate which of the species is more effective, so it is worth consuming goji and acai berries. Thanks to them, the circulatory system will be significantly strengthened. It is due to the high content of cyperon, which makes the heart work better and increases the concentration of good cholesterol (HDL). It is also influenced by the high content of vitamin C, which can also be found in goji and acai berries.

We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time Kamila Wykrota, the resilience trainer, will tell us about what resilience is. How does the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and react to adversities affect our quality of life? You will find out by listening to the latest episode of our podcast.

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