Are Wild Blueberries Good for Your Health?
Not all of us like or love every nutritious food item, but when it comes to wild blueberries, everyone simply loves them. Either chefs or foodies, wild blueberries are appealing food for everyone. Not only are they delicious, but they are abundantly nutritious as well. Wild blueberries are extremely helpful in fighting different diseases as they significantly boost our immune system.
So, the common question, Are Wild Blueberries Good for Your Health? It can be easily answered. Yes, wild blueberries are very good for your health as they offer “countless” health benefits, and this article will enlist some of the best health benefits of wild blueberries.
Highly Enriched with Antioxidants
Wild blueberries are antioxidant-rich food, and we all know how much antioxidants are essential for human health. Therefore, wild blueberries are a great source to reduce inflammation, Alzheimer’s, brain aging, and other generative medical problems. One cup of wild blueberries has more antioxidants capacity as compared to twenty other vegetables or fruits, including strawberries, cultivated blueberries, and cranberries.
Wild Blueberries are Heart Healthy
Wild blueberries have proved to be a super-friendly food for heart health. A recommended dose of fiber for the human body is 28 grams per day, and one cup of wild blueberries consists of 6 grams of fiber, and you can easily consume the required daily proportions. It reduces the chances of heart diseases and lowers cholesterol levels.
Wild blueberries are also very beneficial in combating type 2 diabetes and obesity. Wild blueberries have abundant quantities of polyphenols, which helps in improving the endothelial function (predicts the chances of cardiovascular disease).
Improves the Brain Functioning
Research studies have shown that wild blueberries have shown amazing results in improving cognitive function in adults as well as kids. A study published in 2017 stated that those school kids who consume wild blueberries have a better or enhanced executive function. That said, those kids were better in time management, paying attention, and completing tasks.
Another research published in 2015 in the European School of Nutrition also stated that those school kids who used wild blueberries in their diet had better concentration levels and boosted memory. Moreover, wild blueberries are not only beneficial for kids; they are equally beneficial for adults and oldies. In 2016, a research study reached a conclusion that wild blueberries were very helpful in boosting memory and cognitive function in adults as well as oldies.
Can Improve Mood
This “superfruit” never ceases to amaze with its limitless and wonderful health benefits. Wild blueberries, according to different researches, can be mood lifters in kids. A research was published in 2017 and according to the findings of this research, consuming wild blueberries can be mood booster in adults (aging between 18 to 21) as well as kids (aging between 7 to 10). Depression or anxiety faced at this age may reemerge and can have long-lasting effects, but adding wild blueberries in kids’ diets can improve the mood in kids and young adults.
Wild Blueberries – A “Dream” Food for Diabetic Patients
Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common types of diabetes all over the world. Diabetic patients are always on a strict diet plan, and wild blueberries can be a wonderful addition in their diet menu. Researches have shown that wild blueberries showed positive effects on metabolic syndrome’s characteristics. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes.
Moreover, another “thrilling” feature of wild blueberries is that diabetic patients can consume them easily as they won’t wreak havoc on blood sugar levels. As compared to other varieties of cultivated blueberries, the concentration of sugar is 30 percent lesser in wild blueberries. That means one cup of wild blueberries contains 10 grams of sugar.
Wild blueberries are food with a low glycemic index (53/100 on the glycemic index). Those foods that have low scores on glycemic index do not raise blood sugar levels steeply, and therefore diabetic patients can use wild blueberries in their food regularly.
Combats Urinary Tract, Cancer Development
Wild blueberries (wild blueberry compounds) have proved to be helpful in combating cancer at different stages. Moreover, they are effective in urinary tract infections as they combat the bacteria which are responsible for these infections.
Frozen Wild Blueberries
Wild blueberries are a “wonder food,” but “flowers are always accompanied with thorns.” The time or season for wild blueberries is short as they are harvested in August and September. Moreover, there is a geographic disadvantage as wild blueberries grow in Quebec and Atlantic Canada (glacial soils).
Therefore, delivering fresh wild blueberries is an impossible task. But, do frozen and fresh wild blueberries have the same effects? Yes, they are equally nutritious in both forms, and frozen wild blueberries are safe to consume up to two years of harvesting, and this “superfruit” is extremely nutritious and health-friendly with almost no disadvantages.
Sources: 1) foodprocessing 2) readersdigest
About the Author
Twigs cafe staff is comprised of editors, writers, food & drink experts, nutritionists, and researchers to create informative and helpful content for health-conscious people.
