Blueberries And Blueberry Juice

Blueberries are so named for their dark purple blue coloring, and grow on bushes throughout North America. Since the 1930s, it also has been grown in Europe after blueberry bushes were imported from the United states and Canada. Blueberries may be found on wild, “low bush” plants, or cultivated on “high bush” plants. The United States remains the largest grower of blueberries, with the low bush blueberry being particularly common in Maine, where it is the official state fruit. High bush blueberries are grown the most in the United States in the states of Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Blueberries grow on flowering bushes, and when mature are approximately the same size and shape as a marble. They are eaten in whole as they have no pits, and have a sweet tart flavor. Research has found that it has high levels of the antioxidants that are credited with deterring cancer. They also may reduce the risk of urinary tract infections.

What Is Blueberry Juice?

Blueberry juice is the juice derived from pressing blueberries. It is relatively new as a beverage, and is sold at supermarkets with a focus on organic and health foods. Blueberry juice has the same sweet tart taste as the blueberries that it is made from, and has lower sugar levels than grape juice, making it a popular substitute beverage. Blueberry juice also is a popular ingredient in cooking, as well as in mixing cocktails.

Health Benefits Of Blueberry Juice

Blueberry juice has been found to have a variety of positive effects on older adults. Research by Rutgers University has found that drinking blueberry juice may enhance memory while deterring depression and lowering blood sugar. Preliminary research on the other positive health benefits of drinking blueberry juice have found that it also may help to improve eyesight, lower cholesterol, and even improve coordination and balance.

Make Your Own Blueberry Juice

Making blueberry juice is a little more complicated than squeezing your own orange juice, but it is not difficult, and when you are done, you will have your own jug of delicious blueberry juice. Here is an easy way to do it:

Rinse your berries and put them in a pot with enough water to make them float. Bring the water to a boil, and then use a wooden spoon or a potato masher to mash all of the berries. Let the water return to a boil briefly, when you are done, and then remove from the burner. Strain out the pulp from the berries using cheesecloth or a colander, and let the juice strain into a bowl.

Once you have your juice, you can sweeten it to taste with pineapple juice, honey, or sugar. Be careful though, because you cannot get back the uniquely tart flavor if you over sweeten it. You now have a blueberry concentrate that you can dilute for drinking with a 3 parts water to 1 part concentrate ratio.

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