Getting to know blueberries
The list of fruits that most ICers can easily tolerate (especially in any significant quantity) is very short. For some, this list literally consists only of pears, perhaps some melons, blackberries, dates, and/or blueberries. The blueberry, botanical name Vaccinium spp (there are many varieties of blueberries such as V. pallidum and V. corymbosum), is a unique and interesting fruit so it’s well worth learning about something you may form a tight, personal bond with!
Blueberries are very closely related to the European bilberry, and, though popular, are not as common or well known as many other fruits. Though it is the berries that we commonly think of using (eating), the leaves are used medicinally as well. Blueberries were originally indigenous to the United States, but they are now cultivated in Canada and other parts of the world. Native peoples of North America have long been using the blueberry plant for both food and medicinal purposes.
For years, blueberries have been making medical headlines, as they appear to have a bevy of disease-fighting properties. The compound pterostilbene, which is found in blueberries, has been linked to reductions in cholesterol levels. A study carried out by Agnes M. Rimando, a chemistry researcher for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, compared pterostilbene and a cholesterol-lowering drug, Ciprofibrate, on rats and found that pterostilbene worked marginally better. This may be due to the fact that pterostilbene is an antioxidant, similar to the one found in grapes and red wine (resveratrol) that is also thought to aid in bad cholesterol reduction, such as the type that can lead to increased chances of stroke and cardiovascular disease.
According to researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Centre (HNRCA), out of 40 fresh fruits and vegetables that they studied, blueberries came out in the top spot when it comes to antioxidant activity! Antioxidants are necessary to the human body, they aid in neutralizing free radicals (negative or harmful by-products of metabolism) that can contribute to a wide range of health problems and illnesses. Researchers feel that it is Anthocyanin (a flavonoid), the pigment that is responsible for making blueberries blue, which is the most likely to be responsible for their health-helping properties. One of the benefits of antioxidants is that they appear to help the aging process. Blueberries (or compounds of the berries) appear promising as a possible treatment for such age related conditions as Alzheimer’s.
Did you know?
Every 100g of fresh blueberries contain 13mg of vitamin C,
1 mg of vitamin E, 0.04 mg of beta-carotene, 6ug (a measure of
folic acid) of folic acid,
and 10 retinol Equivalents (a measure of vitamin A) of vitamin
A
Studies from Europe and Japan have also noted that blueberries may improve eyesight and eye fatigue (a symptom which affects many of us with multiple medical conditions). Again, scientists think it is the anthocyanin that is primarily responsible for these effects.
Another potentially helpful substance that is found in blueberries is called Ellagic acid (or ellagitannin). Blueberries also contain folic acid, and though it is not totally understood why, both of these acids may inhibit cancer growth such as cervical cancer. Folic acid is also thought to benefit the fetus during pregnancy.
Blueberries contain a decent about of fibre, which may be why one 1976 study from Sweden found them to be beneficial in the treatment of childhood diarrhea. Every 100 grams of blueberries contains 2.7g of fibre (the daily recommended dose is 25g). But it is perhaps blueberries’ valuable help in preventing urinary tract infections (UTI’s) that makes them most appealing to ICers.
For reasons that scientists cannot yet fully explain, ICers seem to have a substantial history with UTIs. Though not every ICer has trouble with frequent (or reoccurring and often persistent) UTI’s, many do. A “cruel” truth is that many with IC are also misdiagnosed as simply having UTIs. In a more just world IC would make your bladder immune to other ailments, in the real world this is not the case (sadly). Many with IC continue to develop UTIs even after they begin IC treatment. Part of the reason for this occurrence may be that IC bladders are already in a damaged/weakened state and are less able to fend off bacteria and other harmful substances which may cause UTIs.
Traditionally people with UTIs are advised to drink cranberry juice as it has been shown to prevent the spread of E. coli bacteria, a bacterium commonly responsible for UTI’s. Cranberries (and their juices) help to stop bacteria from sticking to the inner walls of the bladder. The downside to cranberries is that they are highly acidic, so much so that the vast majority of IC patients simply cannot consume them without increasing their symptoms and going into a flare. Enter the humble, yet powerful blueberry.
Though fewer studies have thus far been carried out with blueberries for the prevention and treatment of UTI’s, scientists at Rutgers University in New Jersey have found and identified a blueberry compound which helps to reduce the chances of infection and promote urinary tract well-being. As most of us with IC are able to tolerate eating blueberries it might be an idea to make them your new cranberries. (Note, neither blueberries nor cranberries are intended to replace antibiotics or other medications used to formally treat UTIs. It is recommended that you talk to your health care provider about using them in this manner).
Additionally, herbal textbooks of yore and traditional folk remedies have long employed the use of blueberry plant leaves. Traditionally, as noted in Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West by G.L. Tilford (1997), the leaves were brewed as a tea to help with poor appetite, diabetes, and UTIs. A tea is steeped by combining 250ml (1 cup) of boiling water and 10 grams of dried leaves, then allowing the mixture to sit for 15 minutes. I have not come across any medical references that indicate any part of the blueberry plant can interfere with drugs or medications.
Blueberries have been dubbed “nutraceutical”, a word that is being used more and more often to describe a food substance that provides health benefits, such as the treatment or prevention of disease. This is a broad term, though, spanning everything from specific nutrients to genetically altered or modified foods. The word nutraceutical was first introduced in 1989 by The Foundation for Innovation in Medicine to describe this branch (area of focus) of biomedical research. Nutraceutical has now become common lingo in both the medical and scientific worlds of food and drug study.
The health food supplement market has caught wind of the “power” of blueberries, as numerous brands now sell concentrated blueberry juices and capsules. I have not yet tried these myself, so I can’t personally say whether or not they are effective or how they interact with an IC bladder. Before trying blueberry capsules you may want to speak to a doctor or pharmacist who is well informed about health food supplements and treatments. If you would like to read more about some of the brands on the market, a better-known brand is Flavonoid Sciences: Caps
and concentrated juice.
You don’t have to rush out and buy flats of blueberries (unless they’re on sale for a killer deal and you have a large freezer). Like most healthy foods the key to blueberry use is to incorporate them into your every day IC friendly diet. And despite what happens to the character “Violet” in the children’s book Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, you won’t turn blue from eating blueberries.
Blueberries are well known as muffin, pie, and pancake ingredients, but they are such a versatile fruit that they can be incorporated into tons of recipes. I have added blueberries to scones, cakes, pilaffs, meat dishes, drinks, ice cream and even as a cold soup. The recipe section of ICadvice contains yummy blueberry recipes and more will certainly be added over time.
Blueberries can be a bit pricey, and like with most foods, especially produce, it is best to try and find organic varieties. But if you can get hold of some whenever possible, they make a lovely and tasty addition to your artillery of IC friendly foods.