Blueberries: properties and contraindications

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Blueberry is a plant of the lingonberry family, which has fruits with a pleasant taste and smell. From the berries you can cook jam, jam and eat fresh. What are the useful properties of blueberries, as well as what the plant is valued for, you will learn from this material.

Composition

The berry has an extensive list of minerals and nutrients that have a beneficial effect on the body. It contains:

• vitamins A, B, PP, K and E;
• tannins;
• dietary fiber;
• pectins;
• flavonoids;
• phenols, sugars and plant pigments;
• pectin;
• minerals (iron, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium).

Blueberries are a low-calorie berry with a nutritional value of 57 kcal. Therefore, it is recommended to add it to the diet menu.

Useful properties of berries and blueberry juice

Due to the rich composition, the use of culture has a positive effect on almost all body systems. Benefits:

• It has choleretic and diuretic properties, whichhelps to reduce weight and normalize the work of all organs.
• Antioxidants contained in fruits prevent aging of the body and improve the activity of the heart and blood vessels.
• Inhibits the formation of tumors.
• Due to their vitamin C content, fruits are used to prevent scurvy.
• Regular consumption of blueberries improves vision. The fruits relax the muscles of the eyes and help fight glaucoma.
• Cleanses the body of toxins and stabilizes metabolism.
• Improves the functioning of the digestive system. Intestinal peristalsis is getting better.
• Fruits slow down the aging of nerve cells, improve mental abilities and memory.
• Lowers blood pressure.
• Eating fruit leads to lower blood glucose levels.
• Increases appetite, promotes the release of a sufficient amount of gastric juice.
• Raises the tone of the body and relieves nervous tension.
• Increases the body's defenses and improves its resistance to viruses and bacteria.
• If diarrhea or liver disease occurs, it is good to drink 1/2 glass of juice 3 times a day.
• Fresh blueberries remove s alts of heavy metals from the body and neutralize the effects of radiation. This ability of the berry can be used by workers in hazardous industries.

Due to the healing properties of blueberries, its juice also has positive qualities. Doctors recommend using it 1-2 times a week. The composition of the drink contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals. Because of this, the juicehas anti-inflammatory properties and reduces the manifestation of fever.

At the same time, it does not have any restrictions, so the drink is widely used in dietary nutrition. The medicinal qualities of the culture are used not only for therapeutic purposes, but also for the prevention of many diseases.

Adding fruits to the child's menu

The beneficial properties of blueberries for children are manifested in the saturation of the growing body with all the necessary minerals and vitamins.

Due to the absence of allergens, it can be given to babies up to a year. Initially, the berry is included in the menu in the form of mashed potatoes. It is added to cereals or mixed with other fruits. Reception begins with 1 teaspoon, gradually the amount increases. The portion size must be agreed with the pediatrician.

It is forbidden to consume the berry in large quantities, so as not to cause nausea, vomiting or dizziness.

Blueberries during pregnancy

During gestation, adding a berry to the menu is recommended for all women. Due to its beneficial properties, blueberries during pregnancy have the most positive effect. This happens due to the content of vitamins B, P, PP and folic acid, which is sometimes called the "female hormone" in the berry. This substance forms new cells and prevents the development of pathologies in the fetus.

Besides, fruits have such a beneficial effect:

• Vitamin C content in blueberries stops developmentcolds that adversely affect the body of the fetus and expectant mother.
• Reduces blood sugar, which is especially necessary for women who suffer from diabetes.
• The iron contained in the berry is able to maintain normal hemoglobin levels. Rutin does not allow blood pressure to rise and gives elasticity to the capillaries.
• Berry has a positive effect on vision. Due to the complex of minerals, blueberries have anti-inflammatory and choleretic properties.

But the berry should not be abused during this period, in order to avoid the occurrence of allergic reactions and intoxication in the child. It is enough for a woman during pregnancy to eat no more than 80-100 g per day. This norm is enough to meet the needs of the body.

The beneficial properties of blueberries during pregnancy and lactation are manifested in the saturation of both the child and the mother with vitamins and minerals. It is not recommended to consume excessive amounts of berries due to the occurrence of allergies.

Benefits of blueberry leaves

Not only fruits have medicinal properties. The leaves of the plant are often used to prepare medicinal decoctions and infusions. Traditional medicine has many recipes that are capable of:

• normalize the digestive process;
• cleanse the body and have a disinfectant effect;
• eliminate sleep disorders and disorders of the nervous system;
• lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels;
• beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels;
• reduce excessive appetiteand prevent overeating;
• strengthen the human immune system, have a preventive effect on colds and infectious diseases.

Decoction, infusion or tincture is prepared from blueberry leaves. Drinks can be drunk without restrictions, if there are no contraindications.

To prepare a healing drink, you need the following:

1. In a glass of boiling water, take the dried leaves of the plant (50 g) in a crushed state.
2. Break for 2-3 hours.
3. Strain the broth and drink a tablespoon 5-6 times a day before meals.

The course of treatment with blueberry decoction should be no more than 1 month, then a break is taken and, if necessary, the procedure is repeated.

Decoction of blueberry leaves is a prophylactic for many diseases: diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart and blood vessels. To normalize blood pressure, you can drink it with fresh berries. The daily norm of berries is 100-150 g.

Winter preparations

Have useful properties of blueberries and jam. In this form, its medicinal qualities remain for a long time.

To make jam, grind the berries with a blender until smooth. Add sugar. Divide into containers and store in the refrigerator.

This composition retains all the healing properties of blueberries.

There is a method of making jam when the fruits are cooked. This requires the followingingredients:

1. Blueberries - 1 kg.
2. Sugar sand - 1 kg.
3. Water - 100 ml.

Fruits are carefully sorted out and washed. Make syrup from sugar and water and boil for a few minutes. Then put berries in it, boil for 10 minutes and arrange in sterile jars.

Jam can be used as a prevention of colds and infectious diseases, in diseases of the stomach and bladder.

Use while dieting

Having medicinal properties, blueberries are used for weight loss. It can be attributed to dietary products. The polyphenols contained in the berry contribute to the breakdown of body fat. Blueberries burn excess pounds and prevent the formation of new ones.

Fruits must be consumed in limited quantities to be beneficial. The daily intake of berries is 100-200 g. To achieve the result, you need to go in for sports.

Together with the berry, you can drink blueberry leaf tea, drink fruit drinks. It is good to drink fresh fruits with milk, which allows a beneficial effect on intestinal motility.

Fruits in cosmetology

Due to its beneficial properties, blueberries can be used not only to improve the body. The fact that this plant has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin has been known since ancient times. Therefore, the culture is used to make facials.

The beneficial properties of blueberries for women are manifested in recipes based on the addition of berries. maskswill preserve the beauty of the face and prolong the youthfulness of the skin. Flavonoids protect it from ultraviolet radiation. They are able to cleanse and whiten the skin of the face.

To prepare the mask, you need to squeeze the juice from the berries. Combine in equal proportions with sour cream and cottage cheese. Apply the mass on the skin of the face. Leave on for 20 minutes, rinse with warm water. Such a mask will restore the skin to a radiant appearance and relieve fine wrinkles. But to achieve maximum effect, it is recommended to use the product at least once a week.

What plant varieties exist

A berry that grows in nature has the name common or marsh blueberry. It is from such bushes that the harvest takes place in forests and swamps.

The first garden varieties were brought from America. The blueberry bush was tall and up to 2-3 m high. Currently, there are many varieties of berries that are cultivated in summer cottages.

Garden blueberries are especially popular, the properties of which are constantly used for medicinal purposes. But it is also grown for cooking. In the northern regions, a bush called "Canadian blueberry" is common. This plant is frost-resistant and has unpretentiousness and juicy fruits.

For planting, choose a well-lit place with loose soil. She loves acidic soils, and on neutral and alkaline soils, blueberries grow poorly and do not multiply. It needs to be planted with a large clod of earth, with bare roots, the plant dies.

Storage rules

Blueberries are tender. And in order not to lose all its medicinal properties, it is necessary to choose the right method of storage.

Fruits should be frozen. Such blueberries retain all their healing properties and can be used to make compotes, fruit drinks and jelly. Most often it is used as a filling for pies.

In some cases, blueberries are dried. You can store it in a glass container in a dark room. Dried fruits, as well as frozen ones, fully retain their healing properties and can be used to treat various diseases.

Fresh blueberries can be stored in the refrigerator. To do this, choose a container with a tight lid. Store at 0-5 degrees for 2 weeks.

With any storage method, blueberries are best preserved fresh.

Harming culture

Despite the various medicinal properties of blueberries, the plant also has contraindications. As a rule, negative effects can occur with severe overeating of fruits. The berry is rich in many nutrients that, when eaten in large quantities, harm the body.

Signs of poisoning can be:

• nausea;
• vomit;
• general weakness;
• headache.

When using berries by women during pregnancy and lactation, extreme caution must be exercised. After all, it can negatively affect the child when harmful substances enter his body along with mother's milk.

It is not recommended to use the berry for diseases of the biliary tract and individual intolerance.

Don't add fruits to your menu for patients taking blood thinners.

Blueberries are a unique berry that is very popular. Due to its composition and many useful qualities, it can be used not only in medicine, but also in cooking and cosmetology. The medicinal properties of blueberries are used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes.