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Blueberries
Blueberries have been consumed by the native North American Indians for hundreds of years. Surprisingly, the plant is associated with more folklore than most American fruits. Many years ago after the Europeans arrived in North America, they began to cultivate the fruit on farms and took the blueberry plant back to Europe with them. Today the fruit is well recognized for its sweetness and is sold worldwide. Besides the fruit, the berries are also crushed and the juice is extracted. The North American Indians have used its juices for years to treat numerous medical ailments as well as a dying agent for their clothes. The dried berries were also crushed into a powder and rubbed into meat for flavor. Vitamins, Minerals and Phytochemical Components These delicious treats have earned the reputation of a super fruit and evidence indicates that the fruit is rich in nutrients like fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, iron, and large amounts of manganese. They also contain resveratrol, which is a phytoalexin that is produced by plants when they are experiencing a bacterial or fungal infection. Phytoalexins are antibacterial and anti-fungal chemicals that are produced by plants as a means of protection against pathogens. In 1997, it was discovered that resveratrol also has anti-inflammatory properties (2). Recently resveratrol has been labeled as a nutraceutical because its chemical properties provide protection against chronic diseases (1). In addition to resveratrol, they contain anthocyanins and polyphenol antioxidant pigments that have been shown to help reduce the risk of getting some diseases such as certain types of cancers (4). Medicinal Uses Based on Scientific Studies Laboratory studies with the berries have revealed that its phytochemicals like tannins, flavonols, anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins inhibit some of the ways by which cancer cells grow and develop (4). They have also been shown to diminish the signs of dementia and improve cognition in Alzheimer’s patients (3). Other preliminary research has determined that they can lower the amount of damage after a stroke (6). The berries also improve symptoms caused by urinary tract or bladder infections, improve skin tone and turgor, and lower cholesterol (5). Current studies are being performed to determine which compounds in the berries are most beneficial for heart disease. As of now, the blueberry can be simply enjoyed as a delicious fruit and all the other medical benefits are just a bonus. References 1. Health Canada. (1998) Policy Paper on Nutraceuticals /Functional Foods and Health Claims on Foods. Health protection branch, 1-29. 2. Jang M, Cai L, Udeani G, Slowing K, Thomas C, Beecher C, Fong H, Farnsworth N, Kinghorn A, Mehta R, Moon R, Pezzuto J. (1997) Cancer chemopreventive activity of resveratrol, a natural product derived from grapes. Science, 275: 218-220. 3. Joseph, J.A., Shukitt-Hale B., Denisova, N.A. Bielinksi D., Martin, A., McEwen, J.J., & Bickford, P.C., 1999. Reversals of age-related declines in neuronal signal transduction, cognitive, and motor behavioral deficits with blueberry, spinach, or strawberry dietary supplementation. Journal of Neuroscience 19 (18): 8114–8121. 4. Matchett, M.D., MacKinnon, S.L., Sweeney, M.I., Gottschall-Pass, K.T., and Hurta, R.A.R. Blueberry flavonoids inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity in DU145 human prostate cancer cells. Biochem Cell Biol. 83: 637-643, 2005. 5. Sumner, Judith (2004). American Household Botany: A History of Useful Plants, 1620-1900. Timber Press, 125. 6. Sweeney M.I., Kalt W., MacKinnon S.L., Ashby J. and Gottschall-Pass K.T. Feeding of diets enriched in lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium) for six weeks decreases stroke severity in rats. Nutritional Neuroscience 5: 427-431, 2002.
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