Blueberry pie. Blueberry pancakes. Blueberry muffins. Not only do these round, juicy berries make a tasty ingredient in baked goods, but they also are great for your health. According to the Berry Health Benefits Network, a cooperative between Oregon State University and other related groups, when compared with 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables, blueberries rank No. 1 in antioxidant activity. While eating fresh blueberries might be the best way to reap the health benefits of this fruit, taking blueberry capsules as a dietary supplement is an alternative. Before taking any new supplement, consult your doctor.
Inside Blueberry
To discover the health benefits packed inside a blueberry capsule, you must first learn what makes a blueberry so healthy. Dozens of varieties of blueberries stem from two main families: highbush and wild low bush. According to the Berry Health Benefits Network, 57 percent of blueberries in the Untied States are highbush. For such a tiny fruit, blueberries are power-packed with nutrients. The pigment that makes a blueberry blue is called anthocyanin. This chemical, along with a second, polyphenol, gives blueberries their antioxidant compounds. Blueberries also contain Vitamin E and Vitamin C.
Memory and Aging
Taking blueberry supplements or adding the fruit to your regular diet can improve your memory. Researchers at the Brain Institute at UCLA say a blueberry's compounds can aid in long-term memory, learning ability and in brain damage recovery. A USDA Human Nutrition Research study of blueberry-fed lab rats slowed age-related loss of mental capacity. In another similar test at the center, motor skills in the mice improved. According to the USDA, preliminary tests on humans who ate a cup of blueberries a day also show improvements in memory and motor skills.
Urinary Tract Infection
Eating cranberries or drinking cranberry juice might come to mind when you think of urinary tract infections --- and you'd be right. But blueberries --- similar shape, different shade --- can also be beneficial in fighting the bacteria that clings to bladder tissue. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center's reference guide, eating blueberries and other antioxidant rich foods might help reduce symptoms associated with a urinary tract infection. Additionally, eating blueberries or taking supplements regularly can prevent urinary tract infections altogether.
Disease Prevention
The antioxidants in blueberries help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals, agents that can cause aging and numerous diseases. A study by the Department of Chemistry at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth revealed blueberries have the potential to limit the severity of certain cancers and vascular diseases. Among them are atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke and neurodegenerative diseases of aging. The study also shows that adding blueberries to a diet can also help prevent these diseases altogether.
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