| Scientific name: | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| German name: | Blaubeere |
| Other names: | Blaeberry, Urts (Cornwall), Hurtleberry, Huckleberry, Wimberry, Whinberry, Winberry, Blueberry, Fraughan |
| Classification: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Tribute: | Vaccinieae |
| Genus: | Vaccinium |
| Season: | July - September |
Blueberries are very sweet, nutritious and wildly popular. Often labeled as a superfood, they are low in calories and incredibly good for you and your health. They’re so tasty you would not believe that they are amoungst the most healthy fruits. The antioxidants ratio protects your body from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage your cells and contribute to aging and diseases like cancer. Blueberries are also believed to have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all common fruits and vegetables. Who would have thought that a delicous waffle with cream and blueberries protects you from cancer?
Quantity per 100 grams
| Calories | 42 |
| Fat content | 0,6 g |
| Saturated fatty acids | 0 g |
| Polyunsaturated fatty acids | 0 g |
| Monounsaturated fatty acids | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
| Potassium | 73 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 7,4 g |
| Roughage | 0,1 g |
| Sugar | 7,3 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
The geographical origins of the blueberry lie in Eurasia, where it was already known as a wild medicinal plant at the beginning of the 11th century. In Germany the berry can be found from June to September on pine clearings, heather soils or in forests. Wildly collected berries should be well washed, but the formerly feared fox tapeworm has been refuted by science as a danger because it does not occur on berries.
In Asia, the Balkan countries, France and North America, there are huge blueberry growing areas that make a splendid impression with their sea of white flowers.
Thickly boiled blueberry extract helps with weeping lichens and severe itching. Blueberry can also protect against urinary bladder cancer by drinking blueberry juice daily.
If you have a susceptible irritable stomach, you can crush blueberries in a bowl, pour lukewarm milk over them and then chew them finely before swallowing them. In this way the stomach is relieved.
However, blueberry leaves should not be consumed excessively as they can lead to poisoning if overdosed.
The blueberry also has the rare property of reducing the sensitivity of the eyes to glare. Concentrated substances from blueberries can thus improve the night blindness of drivers and should only be bought in pharmacies.
The blueberry with a low kernel content is usually found as fresh fruit. It does not have to be pre-treated, but can be washed well and used simply for the production of desserts, cakes, mueslis, jam, mush, juice, pancake fillings, pudding or fruit wine. A classic combination are fresh, warm waffles with blueberries and cream.
Already in ancient Greece and ancient Rome blueberries were used as a remedy against intestinal diseases. In the Middle Ages Hildegard von Bingen rediscovered the value of blue forest fruits as a medicinal plant and used dried blueberries as compresses to heal wounds. It has now been scientifically proven that the berry has an antibacterial effect and prevents bacteria from attaching to human cells.
Blueberries can be kept in the fridge for 5-7 days. The enormous vitamin content is maintained for up to 3 days thanks to the airtight outer skin.