Blueberry a Super Food for Health and Beauty.

• Vitamin B2.
• Vitamin C.
• Vitamin E.
• Beta-carotene.
• Folate.
• Anthocyanins.
• Ellagic acid.
• Tannins.
• Fibre.
• Manganese.

As we get older we generally begin to lose control of our mental faculties. We start to become absent minded, our ability to learn new things and retaining information doesn't seem to come as easily to us as it once used to.

However the degeneration of the mind doesn't have to be an inevitability, by making blueberries a staple of your diet you can help combat this issue. As well as aiding the reversal of many neurodegenerative conditions, they also help the brain to successfully control movement and thought processes relating to co-ordination and balance.

Another compound contained in these little wonders is resveratrol which is good for the heart.

Free-radicals are harmful to cells, blueberries often rank within ten of the best fruits and vegetables for protection against them, thanks to that handy ingredient anthocyanins which dictates their colour, and helps to fight cellular damage.

Because of all the effective weapons in it's health preserving artillery it is a powerful youth prolonging tool. Another thing that anthocyanins are good at is boosting the effects of vitamin C that is also contained in blueberries, this is a potent fuel for collagen production and preservation meaning that it contributes to younger looking skin. Pectin is present too helping reduce cholesterol.

Have you ever noticed what happens to your tongue when blueberries have been chewed up in your mouth?

Blueberries contain a substance called anthocyanin this has a pigment contained in it that is soluble when in contact with water.

This means that when eaten they turn the inside of your mouth blue!

This fun little fact can be a very useful trick for getting kids to eat more healthy foods.

On the 11th February 2004, a western adventure film was released called blueberry. It starred Juliette Lewis, Vincent Cassel, Michael Madsen, Temuera Morrison and Ernest Borgnine. And was directed by Jan Kounen.

When fruits (and vegetables) are cooked or preserved they lose some of the nutritional values contained within them. To get the best health advantages from blueberries it is recommended that they are eaten raw.

They compliment yogurt, cereal, nuts and seeds well. They are also ideal for adding to juices and smoothies, giving the drinks even more health benefits and a touch more flavour.

Originally from Northern America they are now a favourite food for many globally. They are very close in taste and appearance to that of the blackcurrant.

The blueberry has five times more antioxidant activity then that of a serving of apples, broccoli and carrots. (Apples, broccoli and carrots came top in a study for their antioxidant properties).

One of the health advantages of tannins found in blueberries is that they have the ability to prevent urinary tract infections by warning off the bacteria that causes it.

Eyesight can be improved by regularly eating blueberries due to essential vitamins and minerals travelling with greater ease around the body.

For maximal impact aim to eat a small handful of them three or four times a week, this is easily achievable if you can remember to eat some every other day. For a simpler way to add blueberries into your regular diet, try adding a portion of them to foods that you eat anyway. You could also try and associate it with something else that you do every other day like washing your hair or something similar that's already a part of your normal routine, that way when you are doing whatever your chosen activity is, it will hopefully remind you to also eat your blueberries.

• Vaccinium is the name of the fruits genus which coincidentally is very similar to the word vaccine. It is part of the ericaceae family.
• It grows in various areas globally, vast quantities of the fruit that grow wildly are harvested. They are one of the few foods that grow as individual units as well as in clusters.
• It is closely related to the huckleberry.
• As well as being a plant cultivated for food it is also grown for ornate reasons and just for looking at as it is a very attractive looking plant.
• The blueberry is especially popular in the US and has been for sometime, however the Europeans are now catching on to its taste, beauty and health benefits fast, with blueberry muffins becoming a consumer favourite.
• Blueberries grow on bushes that are mainly deciduous.

There is significant medical evidence to suggest that blueberries help reduce the risk of heart disease strokes and even dementia. Tissue within the body is especially effected by its anti-inflammatory effects. Blueberries are also a source of a specific type of antioxidant called ellagic acid which is believed to have elements that can combat the advancement of cancer.

Blueberries retain their flavonoid advantages even when dried and heated which doesn't happen with many other fruits and vegetables. However they do lose one of their key nutrients vitamin C during the process. Blueberries are effective as a mild astringent because of their fruit acid.

This particular fruit has been declared a super food by modern health care professionals, it seems like the more we have discovered about it the more great things there are to like about it. The health benefits of the blueberry have been common knowledge amongst the natives of North America for centuries, they used it as an ingredient for a drink to cure coughing.

The root was thought to relax women whilst giving birth and leaves brewed to make tea to help clean the blood. Although some of the claims were not entirely accurate (we still havn't managed to find a definitive cure for a cough now, even with all the scientific knowledge and medical research that is available to us) and yet there is enough proof of the healing properties of blueberries to assume that many of their treatments would have had at least some determinable effects.

• Bilberry.
• Blauberry.
• Bog berry.
• Bog whortleberry.
• Deer berry.
• Dryland berry.
• Dryland blueberry.
• Evergreen huckleberry.
• Farkleberry.
• Grouse-berry.
• Grouse whortleberry.
• Moor berry.
• Rabbiteye.
• Sparkleberry.
• Squaw.
• Whinberry.

Recent research shows that eye conditions can be improved by eating blueberries and they are often referred to as the brain berry, people have been known to keep them at their desks to snack on while they revise for an exam and also for general studies.

They make for a great quick and easy pick me up when energy levels are running on low. Try blueberry jam on whole grain toast for a tasty and kick start your day, but do try an opt for a low sugar or sugar free product. Or you could mash them into a paste and add them to many meals or snacks that you already eat regularly. They also taste delicious raw.

Anthocyanins reinforce the blood capillaries which in turn aids the efficient function of the bodies circulation. Which also benefits the heart.

• Good for brain function.
• Helps to preserve youthful skin.
• An aid for healthy eyes.
• Heart strengthening qualities.
• Promotes good circulation.
• Improves the immune system.
• Is an effective energy booster.
• Great as an antioxidant.
• Has antibacterial compounds.
• Is an anti-inflammatory.
• Contains cancer fighting compounds.
• Anti-ageing qualities.