HEAlth
Are wild Blueberries really so much better?
well, yes.
Health Benefits of Wild Blueberries vs. Cultivated Hybrid
there are two kinds of blueberries – Wild and cultivated – and they are vastly different.
The millions of plants on the Wild Blueberry Barrens provide a unique genetic diversity and complex flavor profile that cannot be duplicated by cultivated blueberries, which have only a few varieties per acre.
Maine’s leading expert on Wild Blueberry plants, David Yarborough, Ph.D., professor of horticulture at the University of Maine, notes that Wild Blueberries have adapted to their native environment over thousands of years and have more plant diversity than their regular cultivated counterparts.
They also contain a more intense concentration of bioactive plant compounds that provide taste and health benefits.
Health advantages of Wild Blueberries
Wild Blueberries have twice the antioxidant capacity per serving as compared to cultivated blueberries.
Wild Blueberries have a higher skin-to-pulp ratio than their larger cultivated counterparts. More skin and less water equals more antioxidant-rich pigment and more intense blueberry flavor.
Wild Blueberries have 30% less sugar than cultivated varieties, with just 10 grams of sugar per cup. Wild Blueberries are a low-glycemic food, scoring 53 on the 100- point Glycemic Index. They also have just 80 calories per one-cup serving.
One cup of Wild Blueberries provides 4 mg or 200% of the recommended daily allowance of manganese, which the body needs to regulate blood sugar, heal skin problems, and maintain strong bone health. One serving (1 cup) of Wild Blueberries contains 8x the manganese as compared to regular cultivated blueberries.
With 0.8 mg of iron per cup, Wild Blueberries are ideal for anyone not eating other iron-rich foods, like meat.
With 6.2 grams of fiber per cup—25% of the recommended daily allowance—Wild Blueberries provide a delicious way to boost fiber intake. One serving of Wild Blueberries has 72% more fiber than regular blueberries.
Wild Blueberries have a higher concentration per serving of the flavonoid anthocyanin, a phytochemical found in blue-pigmented fruit, that is recognized for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. So when you eat Wild Blueberries, you get more of what it takes to combat chronic diseases and promote healthy aging.
Extensive research is revealing just how much Wild Blueberries can improve human health. Findings suggest that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Wild Blueberries may contribute to better brain health, gut health, heart health, cancer prevention, reduced risk of diabetes, and increased urinary tract health.
Wild Blueberry health research
To read about the dozens of health studies that have been conducted and to view a range of videos and consumer information, please visit www.wildblueberries.com. Health Research-Related Links: