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Why Take Blueberry
Extract
or Eat Blueberries
The American blueberry (Vaccinium) has long been
recognized for its flavor, nutrition, and health benefits. Early
settlers valued the blueberry as a major ingredient in foods and
medicines. They ate blueberries off the bush and added them to soups,
stews, and other foods.
Native Americans in colonial times gathered
blueberries for winter storage. They dried the fruit and combined it
with cornmeal, honey, and water to make a delicate pudding known as “Sautauthig.”
The juice of blueberries was also used for medicinal purposes: to
treat coughs, as a relaxant during childbirth, and to combat the
“runs” thanks to a substance contained in the berries called
anthocyanin. This substance has mild antibiotic properties, especially
against intestinal bacteria that cause diarrhea. |
