THE BENEFICIAL BLUEBERRYBlueberries are native only to North America and they are known all over the world for their great taste and color. Blueberries are small and spherical and are indigo in color when ripe. There are at least 15 species of blueberries all over the world and the most famous are from New Jersey, Chatsworth and Maryland.
Blueberries are also used for the treatment of several diseases. Anthocyanins, tannins, flavonols and other antioxidants in blueberries are known to reduce cancer risk, prevent Alzheimer’s disease and other ageing problems. Research has also proven that blueberry consumption lowers cholesterol and the symptoms of heart diseases and urinary tract infections. I Just a cup or 150 grams of blueberries provides more than 30% of the Dietary Reference Intake of vitamin C, 20% for magnesium and 16% for dietary fiber. Due to their nutritious content and antioxidant strength, blueberries have been dubbed as “Superfruits” for their role in health research evidence and versatility in manufacturing popular consumer products.
Blueberries are flowering plants in the genus Vaccinium, sect. Cyanococcus. The species are native only to North America. They are shrubs varying in size from 10 cm tall to 4 m tall; the smaller species are known as "lowbush blueberries" (synonymous with "wild"), and the larger species as "highbush blueberries". The leaves can be either deciduous or evergreen, ovate to lanceolate, and from 1–8 cm long and 0.5–3.5 cm broad. The flowers are bell-shaped, white, pale pink or red, sometimes tinged greenish.
The fruit is a false berry 5–16 mm diameter with a flared "crown" at the end; they are pale greenish at first, then reddish-purple, and finally indigo on ripening. They have a sweet taste when mature, with variable acidity. Blueberry bushes typically bear fruit from May through October in the Northern Hemisphere; "blueberry season" peaks in July, which is National Blueberry Month in the United States and Canada. Beginning in 2005, blueberries have been discussed among a category of functional foods called superfruits having the favorable combination of nutrient richness, antioxidant strength, emerging research evidence for health benefits and versatility for manufacturing popular consumer products.
Bananas are full of fiber and are a filling breakfast food.
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