Blueberry – Everything You Need to Know About Blueberries!

There is hardly anyone who does not like the little blueberries . The blueberries. These delicious fruits are among the most popular berries of all, along with currants, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, and blackberries. Blueberries taste good and do good. Blueberries are healthy fruits. In addition, blueberries are versatile fruits.

The blueberry "vaccinium myrtillus" belongs to the heather family. The dark flesh of the blueberry turns the tongue and teeth blue – for the general amusement of the children. The cultivated blueberry is descended from American blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum). Blueberries have a light pulp. Therefore, there is no blue coloration when eating the blueberry.

Where do blueberries actually grow?

The healthy blueberries love Nordic and temperate areas (Eurasia), especially mountainous zones. In Austria and Switzerland, blueberries can be found at altitudes of up to 2400 m. Blueberries prefer partial shade and, above all, coniferous forests.

However, the soil must be acidic (pH value below 5!), nutrient- and base-poor for the blueberry and other fruits such as the blueberries to grow. In addition, blueberries are still found on mountain and bog heaths. Blueberries root up to 1 m deep. However, blueberries are sensitive to cold and pollutants. However, with a thick snow cover, blueberries can easily thrive at 2400 m altitude. Stable fruits.

Wild blueberries

Wild blueberries taste particularly good. Especially in the Tyrolean mountains, you can still find blueberries thriving as wild fruits today. Blueberries grow on 10 to 60 cm tall dwarf shrubs. The leaves of the blueberry are ovoid and finely toothed. Fresh blueberries are available between July and September. In autumn, the leaves of the blueberry turn deep red. In winter, the bushes of blueberries do not carry leaves.

Blueberry bushes can live up to 30 years. The blue coloration in the native blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) comes from anthocyanins, which are contained in the pulp and skin. In the cultivated blueberry, which comes from the American varieties (Vaccinium corymbosum), the dye is only in the skin. Therefore, there is no discoloration when eating the blueberry.

You can tell the origin of the blueberries by the fact that the American variety is twice as large as the native one. Blueberries may taste less juicy, but they last longer. Caution: The leaves of the blueberry plant contain hydroquinone and arbutin and are therefore toxic!

Cultivated blueberries

Cultivated blueberries are descended from the American blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). You can recognize this by the fact that it is twice as large as the Eurasian variety. These berries do not leave any blue coloration or stains, as the inside of the blueberry fruit is light. The fresh blueberries do not taste bad, but not nearly as good as, for example, blueberries from the Tyrolean mountains.

Natural remedies fruits – history of blueberries

Blueberries have always grown in native coniferous forests. However, blueberries were not available in supermarkets, so the tasty berries were grown and further developed in America. Since then, blueberries have been available all over America. Blueberries were already successfully used in naturopathy in the Middle Ages.

The dried blueberries are successfully used for diarrhea and retinal diseases as well as inflammation in the mouth and throat. The dried berries are used to make teas, gargles, and mouthwashes. Dried blueberries are mainly prescribed for young children who suffer from diarrhea.

For internal use, 2 tablespoons of dried blueberries are boiled with 150 ml of water for about 10 minutes and then strained. Drink 1 cup of freshly prepared and chilled blueberry tea 1 to 3 times a day. Blueberry teas can also be prepared by steeping the dried fruit in cold water for two hours.

In addition, you can also take the dried berries with liquid. For a mouth rinse or gargle, boil and strain a tablespoon of dried blueberries with 100 ml of water for 10 minutes. If the solution is cold, you should gargle or rinse with blueberries several times a day.

Blueberries contain a high proportion of tannins, vegetable acids, flavonols, and proanthocyanidins. Secondary phytochemicals are also included. Fresh blueberries also contain vitamin B1 and vitamin C, nicotinamide, and pantothenic acids. These fruits are true vitamin bombs.

The anthocyanins that cause the blue coloration have always been considered an anti-aging insider tip. This active ingredient in blueberries protects against viruses, fungi, and bacteria. No side effects of the fruits are known so far. However, if blueberries are enjoyed in large quantities, blueberries act as a natural laxative.

In addition, blueberries bind free radicals through the polyphenols they contain and have an effect on cardiovascular diseases and blood sugar. Blueberries strengthen the nervous system and blood vessels. Blueberries, like cranberries, prevent bacteria from attaching to human cells.

Recipe idea: Granola tartlet made of berries Urkorn muesli with yoghurt cream

Servings: 20 pieces

Ingredients

For the tarts

• 200 g Berry Urkorn Muesli
• 100 g oatmeal
• 100 g nuts (here walnuts)
• 4 tbsp flaxseed, crushed
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 100 g coconut oil
• 100 g maple syrup

For the cream

• 300 g Greek yogurt
• 150 g stoppers
• ½ lemon, grated
• ½ tsp vanilla, ground
• 1 tsp. maple syrup

For topping

• many different berries – e.g. raspberries, blueberries, strawberries
• a few banana chips
• a few edible flowers – e.g. daisies, lilac blossoms

Preparation

• For the bottoms, finely chop the walnuts and melt the coconut oil.
• Knead into a sticky mixture with all the other ingredients.
• Distribute the mixture in muffin tins and press firmly to the bottom and edge. This works best with moistened hands.
• Bake in the oven at 160°C for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool briefly and then gently release from the moulds with a spoon.
• For the cream, mix all the ingredients and add to the cake bases. Decorate with berries and flowers.

Video

Superfood Blueberry

Blueberries boost your metabolism and bring you vitality. A healthy breakfast with cereal , granola , porridge or juice does not matter. But don't forget the oatmeal . Blueberries taste just as good in the delicious fruit salad as they do in the delicious blueberry cake.

How healthy are blueberries?

The dyes in the blueberry are the real "health promoters". Blueberries belong to the group of anthocyanins, i.e. chemically to the polyphenols. Blueberry is broken down again after six hours in the blood. The blueberries act as a booster for the body, mind, and soul.

Blueberries are a good source of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, micronutrients, and fiber. In epidemiological and clinical studies, these bilberry ingredients have been associated with improved cardiovascular risk profiles.

Human intervention studies with aronia berries, cranberries, blueberries, and strawberries (either fresh or as juice or freeze-dried) or purified anthocyanin extracts have shown significant improvements in LDL oxidation, lipid peroxidation, total plasma antioxidant capacity, dyslipidemia, and glucose metabolism. ^​1​

Benefits of the fruits were seen in healthy subjects and in individuals with existing metabolic risk factors. Mechanisms underlying these beneficial effects presumably include upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, decreased activity of carbohydrate digestive enzymes, decreased oxidative stress, and inhibition of inflammatory gene expression and foam cell formation.

Although these data are limited, blueberries support the recommendation of berries as an essential group of fruits in a heart-healthy diet.

Nutrients of blueberries per 100 grams

In the following table you will find the blueberry content of energy and simple sugars as well as double sugars per 100 g of blueberries.

Shopping tip – How do I recognize high-quality and tasty blueberries?

The colour of the berries should be medium blue to dark blue. Wrinkled berries are already drying up. Cultivated blueberries are usually lighter and much larger. Caution: It is essential to wash the fresh blueberries. The fox tapeworm likes to lay its eggs on the outer skin layer of the berries.

Make blueberries tasty – Verival Tips

Fresh blueberries go perfectly with Verival breakfast products, such as muesli, porridge, artificial muesli and crunchy. Dried blueberries can also be used for muesli with blueberries. Verival Crunchy products are roasted. You can also do this with dried blueberries. The berries can also be wonderfully combined with strawberries , raspberries , currants , cranberries or cranberries. You can use blueberries to “decorate” your cereal or porridge. The small light meal in between can also be wonderfully "pimped up" with blueberries.