The Blueberry Super FruitThe Blueberry Fruit
The Blueberry, from the genus Vaccinium, has for centuries been a popular fruit, and its popularity continues growing due to its rich nutritional properties. The blueberry is native to North America and is a shrub that can grow anywhere from 10 centimeters tall to 4 meters tall, with the smaller known species, such as the Low Bush blueberries, only growing to about 1 meter tall. The leaves of the blueberry can either be evergreen or deciduous and are anywhere from 1 to 8 centimeters long and 0.5 to 3.5 centimeters broad. The flowers of the blueberry are barbell shaped and come in various colors such as white, red, pale pink, and sometimes even with a greenish tint. The blueberry bush typically bears fruit during the months of May through October, also known as Peak Blueberry Season; however, its peak harvest time is usually in the month if July. Although blueberries are native to North America, because of global demand and export, they are now also grown in New Zealand, South America and Australia. Because of the long harvest time and its ease of growth in different regions, fresh blueberries can be found globally year-round. Scientific interest in the nutritional properties of the blueberry was once again initiated because of the blueberry’s dark pigment. With this fruit’s vast nutritional properties being noticed, in 2005, the blueberry was added to the list of foods called Super Fruits. Notably, the high concentrations of its antioxidant properties, coupled with its nutritional vitamin richness, gave this fruit credence for its inclusion on that nutritional list. This wonderful fruit, especially the wild species, contains high amounts of antioxidant pigments as well as other phytochemicals which have been found to reduce the risk of diseases including cancer. Research has also shown that the blueberry, with its elevated amounts of flavonols and tannins, may also alleviate the onset of Alzheimer's disease as well as other conditions associated with aging. Additionally, blueberries carry high amounts of vitamin K, manganese, and carry a low glycemic load, all of which make this fruit not only desirable for its taste but also for its powerful nutrition.
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