The Health Benefits Of Blueberry Leaf Tea

Nutritionists recognize the health benefits of blueberries, however, it is not just the berries that provide people with plenty of health-related highlights. Blueberry leaves also contain important substances that can help protect and promote our physical and mental health. Drinking blueberry leaf tea is a simple and refreshing way to benefit from these natural substances.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are believed to protect your cells against harmful molecules in the body known as free radicals. Free radicals can damage cells and play a significant role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Blueberry leaf tea has been proven to contain high levels of antioxidants. In June 2009, researchers from the Department of Molecular Biology and the University Clinic for Diabetes in Zagreb, Croatia, published the results of their study of the antioxidants in blueberry leaf tea. The researchers simulated household tea preparation conditions and monitored the blueberry leaf infusions over the course of 30 minutes. The results, which appeared in the "Journal of Medicinal Food," proved that blueberry leaf tea contained higher than normal levels of antioxidants. According to a study abstract featured on PubMed.gov, this "places blueberry leaf tea high on the list of dietary sources of antioxidants."

Healthy Brain

Antioxidant-rich blueberry leaves are also thought to combat age-related loss of brain function. In 1999, a study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center in Boston found that a diet rich in blueberries helped to improve short-term memory and loss of balance in aging rats. While direct results in human subjects are still being explored, the antioxidants in blueberry leaf tea may help to promote a long-lasting and healthy brain. "These findings may have important implications for our aging U.S. population," says a Blueberry Council publication entitled "Cultivate a Taste for the Blues."

Diabetes

A number of plants used in traditional medicine, including blueberry leaves, have hypoglycemic properties. Such plants can be used to lower elevated blood sugar levels making them particularly beneficial for people with diabetes. "Blueberry leaf tea is a mild, safe regulator of blood sugar if taken over a long period of time," says Andrew Weil, author of "Natural Health, Natural Medicine." In some cases, drinking blueberry leaf tea on a regular basis may reduce the need for insulin, although it is unlikely to replace it. According to the Online Diabetes Symptoms website, the tea should be taken "at least a few times a day for three months to be able to see a visible and significant change in blood sugar levels."

Prevent Urinary Tract Infection

Studies by the Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research at Rutgers University have found that blueberries contain proanthocyanidins. "Our research shows that proanthocyanidins prevent harmful bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract," says Amy Howell, Ph.D., in a leaflet published by the Blueberry Council entitled "The Tasty Berry That's Big on Health." These proanthocyanidins are found in both blueberry leaves and in the berries themselves.