European Blueberry or Bilberry a superfood you should not discard

Blueberry:

Scientific Name: Vaccinium myrtillus

Habitat: Nutrient-poor soils throughout the temperate and subarctic regions of the world. (Meaning pine. spruce, birch forests.)

When to pick it?: Make sure the fruits have a good size and dark violet color. Discard any black or green fruits.

Taste: If ready, blueberries have a very special taste. Between sweet and sour.

Main properties:

Antioxidant, high in vitamin C and a good source of fiber, blueberries have a compound, pterostilbene, which acts to protect the heart in the same way as cholesterol-lowering drugs. They also contain anthocyanins, which give them their blue colour. Other flavonoids reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. It is believed that blueberries have an anti-cancer effect.

If you have tried blueberries before you will get hook on them. In Finland they start growing in the beginning of July and last until the beginning of September.  They need rain in order to grow. When summer season is very dry it is harder to find them.

Blueberries are very easy to identify but not so easy to pick, since their size is rather small it is easier to use a berry picker.   

NOTE: 

In Austria, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Switzerland, it is an everyman's right to collect bilberries, irrespective of land ownership, with the exception of private gardens and nature reserves. (Click the link to know more about everymans right law via wikipedia).

If you thought that blueberries are originally from Northern countries... "Highbush blueberries were first introduced to Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands in the 1930s, and have since been spread to Romania, Poland, Italy, Hungary and other countries of Europe".

Image by: knitting iris

Blueberries are perennial flowering plants with indigo-colored berries (Meaning violet)  in the section Cyanococcus within the genus Vaccinium. Species in the section Cyanococcus are the most common fruits sold as "blueberries" and are native to North America. Wikipedia

Overlook of how blueberries look when picked from the plant. 

Blueberries are perennial flowering plants with indigo-colored berries (Meaning violet)  in the section Cyanococcus within the genus Vaccinium. Species in the section Cyanococcus are the most common fruits sold as "blueberries" and are native to North America. Wikipedia

Important information extracted from The Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/dietandfitness/3336649/Super-foods-blueberries.html

"Do blueberries boost brainpower?Yes. A US university study showed that blueberries slow down mental ageing.
When older rats were fed the fruit for two months, they navigated mazes faster and had improved balance and co-ordination. In humans, about 100g a day can stimulate the growth of new brain cells.
Will they make you gorgeous?
Quite possibly. They contain polyphenols, which combat the effects of free radicals, a key cause of wrinkles, and so keep skin looking younger for longer. They also help the body to make collagen, which keeps skin supple.
Important!
Use gloves or dark clothes while handling blueberries, it stains the hands and clothes easily, since it is not a hard fruit.

NOTE TO SELF AND TO YOU: Try dyeing some clothes with blueberries!
http://www.alinasadventuresinhomemaking.com/2012/09/how-to-dye-fabric-with-blueberries.html


Other inspiring resources about blueberries:

Salon Bizarre WTF funny video Can one dye hair with blueberries?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knmn78Fkov0

Pinterest board: Grow, eat, use: Blueberries 
http://pinterest.com/cacophonyart/grow-eat-use-blueberries/

Pinterest board: Blueberry recipes: 
http://pinterest.com/SeasonsSuppers/blueberry-recipes/