Properties and benefits of blueberries

June 03, 2021

The bilberry, also called "myrtilus", grows in high, cold areas in our country. It has been part of the diet of Arctic peoples for millennia, and can be found in all northern European countries, although there are some strains that grow in such curious places as Hawaii and Madagascar. The blueberry is considered a superfood because of its countless nutritional qualities.

There are countless varieties in plantations, it grows on small bushes and its flowers are white and tiny, often the size of the fruit exceeds the size of the flower and the leaf. The ordinary consumer will mainly find three types: black, blue and red bilberry.

• Bilberry: if you come across it on a walk in the countryside, you should not eat it, as it is highly likely to be toxic. However, it is used medicinally by extracting its juice in pharmaceutical preparations, due to its astringent, antiseptic and anti-diarrhoeic properties.
• Blueberry: round and rather dark purple in colour, this is the best known variety. Its flavour is bittersweet and intense. It is easily found in the market all year round, but it is a summer fruit. The United States is the main producer and consumer of the blueberry.
• Cranberry: it grows in the colder areas of the northern hemisphere, it is very popular in Scandinavia and Russia, it is edible and rather more acidic. This variety is mostly consumed processed in juices, jams and sauces. Fresh it is widely used in pastries, compotes and cakes, also as a decorative element in dishes.

Properties and benefits of blueberries

• Cranberry is used in the treatment of urinary tract diseases, due to the presence of hippuric acid, which makes it a powerful natural antibacterial. It is advisable to drink the juice fresh, as it retains the active ingredients, and if it is to really work, it should be drunk twice a day over a long period of time.
• It prevents kidney, prostate and urinary tract infections. Infusion of leaves helps to break up kidney stones.
• Both red and blue contain the highest doses of antioxidants in fruit, have more vitamin C than an orange, which helps to absorb iron from food, protects the body's collagen and is a great ally of tendons, cartilage and ligaments.
• The leaves are also used because of their tannin and anti-diarrhoeal properties.
• It is fantastic for the eyesight, the high concentration of flavonoids, the pigments that give that concentrated red, purple or blue colour to many fruits, tells us about its very high antioxidant power. As well as being considered an anticarcinogenic food, it has a special action on the retina, helping with diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma or night blindness.
• Cranberries have astringent, anti-vomiting properties and regulate the digestive system in general. It is anti-inflammatory for the intestines, helps with diarrhoea, bad digestion due to gas or heartburn and treats gastroenteritis.
• It significantly improves blood circulation, making it an ally in the treatment of varicose veins, haemorrhoids and arteriosclerosis. Its anti-inflammatory properties also help with phlebitis.
• Bilberry extract is also used as a component of some medicines for incipient diabetes. Home use for this disease is through infusion of the dried fruit and leaf.