Blueberries: useful properties, recipes

Blueberry is a low shrub with branching straight stems. Smooth, thin and finely serrated at the edges, blueberry leaves are located on short petioles. The flowers of the plant are greenish-white in color with a pink tint, they are small in size. Flowers are found singly in leaf axils. The blueberry fruit is a black-blue berry with a bluish bloom, shaped like a small ball. Inside the berry is red-violet in color with numerous seeds.

Blueberries bloom from late spring to early summer. Fruit ripening occurs in June-August. Blueberries are common in coniferous forests, near marshes and under forest canopies on damp ground.

Composition and calorie content

The total content of polyphenols in blueberries ranges from 48 to 304 mg/100 g of fresh fruits (up to 0,3%) and depends on the variety, growing conditions and maturity. Polyphenols present in blueberries include flavonoids, procyanidins (monomeric and oligomeric forms), flavonols (eg kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin), phenolic acids (mainly hydroxycinnamic acids), and stilbene derivatives.

During the ripening of blueberries, a shift in the total amount of polyphenolic compounds towards the synthesis of anthocyanins was observed, the content of which ranges from 25 to 495 mg/100 g of blueberries and depends on the size of the fruit, the ripening stage, as well as on climatic, pre-harvest environmental conditions and storage conditions.

Blueberries contain anthocyanins such as: malvidin, delphinidin, petunidin, cyanidin and peonidin. According to some data, the percentage of delphinidin is 27-40%, malvidin 22-33%, petunidin 19-26%, cyanidin 6-14% and peonidine 1-5%. The most valuable part of blueberries is their outer layer (pulp rind), as it contains almost all of the anthocyanins.

Other important connections:

• Phytosterols — 22 mg (40% of RDI)

• Purine — 8 mg (6,7% of RDI)

• Oxalic acid — 11 mg (2,8% of RDI)

Useful properties of blueberries

Blueberries contain tannins, flavonoids, vitamins, organic acids and sugar. Thanks to all these substances, the plant has diuretic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Blueberries are used as a choleretic and blood sugar lowering agent. The plant contains a huge amount of antioxidants that reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Blueberries are a good remedy for diarrhea in young children, it has a beneficial effect on the digestive system of the body. That is why it is used for constipation. Blueberries are used to improve eyesight.

Growing blueberries

For growing blueberries, bushes of plants that are 2–3 years old are most often bought. The root on the bush for planting should be with a clod of earth. A blueberry bush is placed vertically in the prepared hole and covered with soil. At the time of planting, you need to loosen the soil around the roots and straighten the roots. After the planting material was covered with peat and sand, the soil needs to be trampled a little and watered.

Blueberries are also propagated by seeds. Seeds are obtained by crushing fresh blueberries. After the fruits of the plant are mashed, the resulting mixture must be poured with water in a ratio of 1:10. We mix and see that the skin, pulp and empty seeds have surfaced, and we do this until completely cleansed. The most mature and good seeds will settle at the bottom. After drying the seeds, they are immediately sown in a box with peat. After 14-20 days shoots will appear. In the spring, the container with seedlings is cleaned in a warm and bright room. In the spring, young plants dive and put in a dark place, protected from winds and sunlight. The next year, seedlings can be planted in the ground.

Blueberries tolerate fertilizing with mineral fertilizers well. Blueberries need constant soil moisture, so watering the plant should be regular. Sawdust should be applied to the soil with a layer of 10 cm, because they hold moisture. In the absence of mulch, the soil must be loosened regularly and shallow.

The use of blueberries

For medicinal purposes, the leaves and fruits of blueberries are used. For example, an infusion of the leaves of the plant is used for diabetes, cystitis, pyelitis and various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Blueberries have tonic and anti-inflammatory properties, so it is used for skin diseases, leucorrhoea and typhus.

For gastritis, cystitis, heartburn and rheumatism, it is recommended to use blueberries both fresh and boiled. Infusion and decoction of blueberries are used for rinsing the mouth with stomatitis, sore throat and pharyngitis. Dried fruits are used to make tea, which helps to cure hemorrhoids. In addition, tea is made from blueberry leaves, but this tea is used for coughs, diarrhea, lichen, and as an external agent for washes and compresses in the treatment of eye irritation or burns.

Blueberry leaf tea. To prepare it, take 1 teaspoon of the leaves of the plant and pour a glass of boiling water, leaving it to stand for 10 minutes. After straining the finished tea, take it three times a day, 200 ml each. It is also used externally.

Blueberry tea. Take 1 full and half of the second tablespoon of dried blueberries and pour them with a glass of boiling water. Put on fire for 10 minutes. After we remove and filter. This tea is used for diarrhea and for rinsing the mouth and throat.

Blueberry flowers for toothache. Taking 100 grams of blueberry flowers, they are poured with two glasses of water and put on fire until 30% of the original volume remains. After straining the finished broth, they rinse their mouth as needed.

Ointment from blueberries. Fresh fruits are ground to the consistency of an ointment. Such an ointment should be put on gauze and simply applied to a sore or affected area (this can be lichen, eczema, burns, as well as rheumatism and gout). Every day the gauze bandage is changed to a new one.

Contraindications to the use of blueberries

Blueberries have no contraindications to their use, however, it is not necessary to abuse its quantity. Excessive consumption of blueberries will lead to hydroquinone poisoning (a substance found in blueberries).