Did you know that wild blueberries are actually deep purple and not blue?
And that’s not the only fascinating fact about these forest berries.
We’ve put together a collection of 5 least known, interesting facts about wild blueberries that’ll blow your mind.
But first…
Table of Contents
1. What Sets the Nordic Blueberry Ahead in the Health Game?
2. Eating Wild Blueberries Regularly Will Slow Down Your Aging Process
3. Wild Blueberries Can Last For 10 to 15 Years After Picking
3.1. Differences Between Freeze-Drying and Other Dehydration Processes
4. Wild Blueberries Are an Amazing Natural Treat for Your Pets
4.1. How to Introduce Your Cat or Dog to Bilberry
5. There Is a National Holiday That Celebrates Wild Blueberries: July 8th
Let’s get familiar with these gifts of nature.
There are two main types of wild blueberries:
- Nordic blueberries aka ‘bilberries’—found deep in the Nordic forests and meadows of North Europe
- Maine’s blueberries—native to North America and Eastern Canada
1. What Sets the Nordic Blueberry Ahead in the Health Game?
It’s simple, nutrition value.
| Nutrient Composition | Nordic Blueberry (Bilberry) | Maine’s Blueberry |
| Antioxidants | 800 mg per 100 grams | 150 mg per 100 grams |
| Fiber | 3.6g per cup | 3g per cup |
| Protein | 0.7g per cup | 0g per cup |
Besides, bilberries are among the purest varieties of fruits in the world today.
This is because they grow entirely under the nurturing touch of Mother Nature, free from contaminants like industrial chemicals and toxins.
2. Eating Wild Blueberries Regularly Will Slow Down Your Aging Process
Recent research revealed that feeding fruit flies with blueberry extracts increased the insects’ average lifespan by 10%.
Mice in whose food blueberry extract was added outlived the ones on a blueberry-free diet.
The magic is in the fruits’ skin.
The skin, as well as the flesh of blueberry fruit, is packed with antioxidants called anthocyanins, which are responsible for its blue color. That’s the reason your tongue turns blue after eating.
These antioxidants protect your DNA from damage.
They also reduce the impacts of aging in the following ways:
- They restore skin thickness and prevent wrinkling
- They improve skin firmness and radiance, reducing sagging
- They replenish retinal cells, reducing eye damage from light
- They activate bone cell formations, reducing postmenopausal bone loss
The forest berries also prevent degenerative diseases, inhibit bacterial activity, and reduce the risk of conditions associated with impaired glucose metabolism, extending your lifespan.
As a matter of fact, more studies suggest that the polyphenols contained in bilberries are great for boosting memory.
3. Wild Blueberries Can Last For 10 to 15 Years After Picking
Have you ever heard of a preservation technique called freeze-drying?
Once they’re freeze-dried, bilberry fruits can last a whopping decade—when stored right, of course.
After years of freeze-drying, your berries will still contain all nutrients, color, antioxidants, and taste.
So, what does freeze-drying entail?
After picking and passing quality control, blueberries are flash-frozen to temperatures of -58 °F/-46 °C. The low temperatures ensure that the bilberries’ original taste and appearance are retained.
Flash-freezing also ensures that when ready to eat the bilberries still retain their maximum level of nutrition.
The blueberries are then passed through a vacuum to get rid of any moisture and water.
Next, sublimation is done to remove any frozen water that may be trapped in the blueberry molecules.
Water trapped in the molecules is responsible for the fruits’ pattern to perish in less than two weeks.
The resulting products are then packed in air-tight containers as whole blueberries or blueberry powder.
Differences Between Freeze-Drying and Other Dehydration Processes
| Freeze-drying | Dehydration |
| Removes 98%–99% of water content | Removes 80%–90% of water content |
| Food lasts for 10–15 years | Food lasts for 2–3 years |
| Food retains 97% nutrition value | Heating diminishes nutritional value by 40%–50% |
Freeze-drying is a tedious and expensive process, which makes it hard to do at home. But that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the natural goodness of the nordic wild blueberries.
Get yourself some awesome freeze-dried organic wild blueberry products from LOOV today. Here is what our customers have to say about our products.
4. Wild Blueberries Are an Amazing Natural Treat for Your Pets
Cats and dogs are obligate carnivores. This means that a meat diet can supply them with most of the nutrients that their bodies require.
However, mineral-rich plant-based foods can have considerable benefits for your pets.
Blueberries contain vitamins C and K, which are essential in boosting your furry friend’s immune system.
Besides, they provide your dog and cat with antioxidants and trace elements like potassium, manganese, and phosphorus—that may be inadequately provided in manufactured pet foods.
Additionally, these fiber-rich blueberries will improve your pet’s bowel health and help with digestion.
How to Introduce Your Cat or Dog to Bilberry
Firstly, buy uncontaminated organic Nordic blueberries
For cats – cut the fruit open then place it on top of normal pet foods and let it eat the whole fruit as a treat.
For dogs- mash or blend them with their regular foods.
Important note: To prevent any stomach issues always begin your pet on very small doses of bilberries. Once they’re used to them, feel free to slowly increase the amount.
5. There Is a National Holiday That Celebrates Wild Blueberries: July 8th
The greatness of the blueberries could not go unnoticed. So, the Holiday Insights organization declared July 8th National Blueberry Day.
Every year in July, National Blueberry Day spreads awareness and highlights the health benefits of this remarkable fruit.
We also honor people like Dr. Frederick V. Coville and Elizabeth Coleman White, whose studies led to the development of new blueberry varieties.
How Do You Celebrate National Blueberry Day?
Celebrate blueberry month by making bilberries a key ingredient in your meals.
There are various ways in which you can blend this healthy berry into your foods.
For instance, you can make a blueberry smoothie bowl or some blueberry lemon muffins.
And don’t forget to raise awareness and educate people on the health benefits of eating blueberries under this hashtag #NationalBlueberryMonth on your social media platforms.
Choose Blueberries That Mirror Your Health Goals
Due to their high demand, most cultivated blueberries have undergone some genetic modifications to increase production for higher profits.
Studies show that the genetic engineering of plants can affect organisms’ physiological balance and have unexpected outcomes on consumer health.
At LOOV Food, we protect our client’s well-being by providing them with Nordic wild blueberries.
Our blueberries are entirely nurtured by nature, carefully handpicked, and sorted from the depths of the Northern forests of Europe.
Buy some blueberries from Loov Shop today and enjoy fantastic price and shipping offers.
Share on Pinterest:
Featured Image from: Pixabay by Natalia_Kollegova
