Blueberries - Are They A Super Fruit?

Some individuals have always stated that some fruits, nuts or vegetables are super foods. This is a contentious topic, but it has to be the case that some foodstuffs are better for you than others, but whether it is justifiable to hype up a foodstuff for a quick sale is another issue. Blueberries are a case in point. Are blueberries a super fruit or not?

Proponents of blueberries say that they are rich in antioxidants and that they are able to improve vision and relieve eye strain; improve brain and memory functions and resist urinary tract infections (UTI's). Blueberries are said to be rich in antioxidants and anthocyanins, but what are they?

Well, antioxidants are said to counteract the effects of oxidation and free radicals, which are frequently linked to the development of cancer and anthocyanins are a form of flavonoids, which are also an anti-carcinogen.

Blueberries are also in the bottom category of the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index uses white bread as the marker against which every foodstuff is calculated. Above 70 is thought to be high; between 56 and 59 is medium and below 55 is low. Blueberries, at 53, is at the high end of low. This is not vital knowledge for lots of people, but it is important for dieters and diabetics.

Blueberries are said to improve eyesight because of the anthocyanins, which strengthen the capillaries, which would help the flow of blood to the eyes, which may help preserve vision. This would relieve eye strain or eye tiredness

If this helps preserve vision, it would also delay hair loss, because hair loss is normally associated with a lack of blood/nutrition to the hair follicles which then just die of starvation, as in male pattern baldness.

Blueberries are a fruit high in flavonoids which are antioxidants as stated above. Some people claim that flavonoids can improve the connections between neurons in the brain, which would almost certainly increase mental capacity.

It might also slow down the deterioration of brain cells and so also the traditionally-perceived decline in mental capacity that is associated with increasing age. If this is the case, then the consumption of blueberries would also help slow down the progression of lack of motor control: that is, it could help the elderly move more naturally, less inelegantly.

However, the same individuals will admit that to create a 5-6% improvement in motor skills would almost certainly take a daily consumption of about 100 grammes per day, which is naturally not an insignificant amount, even if you like them and cultivate them yourself.

It has also been stated that the daily consumption of blueberries reduces the level of LDL in the blood, which is popularly called 'bad cholesterol'.

If you would like to test the effects of eating blueberries on yourself, here are a few suggestions on how you can incorporate them into your diet.

Fresh blueberries: eat when in season and freeze as many as you can get hold of.

Frozen blueberries: cook in pancakes, muffins and put in home-made ice-cream.

Dried blueberries: eat like raisins as a snack or coat in chocolate.

In this way, you will be able to answer the question for yourself: blueberries are they a super fruit?

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a number of topics, and is now involved with detox diet menu. If you would like to know more, please visit our site at http://vegetariancasserolerecipes.com

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