Can You Eat Wild Blueberries?

You can eat blueberries directly from the bush.

Research shows a diet high in wild blueberries can improve memory, balance, coordination, brain health, and cellular activity. Lowbush, or wild blueberries, are also low in calories and a good source of dietary fiber.

Benefits

According to WHfoods, researchers at Tufts University found blueberries rated highest in their capacity to protect the body from destructive free radicals responsible for aging, tissue damage, heart disease and cancer. A report in the journal "Free Radical Biology and Medicine" discovered protein in milk destroyed antioxidant benefits in blueberries and recommends eating blueberries one hour before or two hours after the consumption of protein.

Identification

Wild blueberries are not planted or genetically manipulated, unlike the "highbush" cultivated variety. Blueberries like plenty of sun and appear at ground- to eye-level, often growing in bushes or creepers. Fields, meadows and along edges of roads are good places to search for berries.

Harvest

Depending on location, harvest wild blueberries late July through August, directly from a grower or from semi-wild or wild bushes.

Preparation

Lightly wash fresh berries, remove any bloom residue, and carefully pat dry. It is not necessary to wash wild blueberries if they are hand-picked or the source is known.

Warning

Blueberries contain small amounts of oxalate acid--a substance naturally found in animals, plants and humans. Excessive concentrations in the body can crystallize and could result in kidney disease or death due to oxalate poisoning.

References

• NaturalNews.com: Milk Destroys Antioxidant Benefits in Blueberries
• WildBlueberries.com: Annual Health Summit Reveals Promising Benefits of Wild Blueberries
• The World's Healthiest Foods: Blueberries