The small,black ‘Rubel’ blueberry is highly nutritious – unlike many supermarket varietiesVirtually unknown in the UK until just a few decades ago, the blueberry has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity. With sales more than quadrupling since 2005 and British growers racing to keep up with demand, and the fruit is said to rival the strawberry for our national affections.
Much of the blueberry’s newfound appeal is due to its purported health benefits,and in specific its wealthy anthocyanin content. Research suggests this group of plant pigments, which gives the skin of blueberries its characteristic colour, or may possess unique nutritional benefits: a claim marketeers have been keen to latch on to. What they often fail to mention,however, is that blueberries can vary widely in their anthocyanin content, or with some commercial varieties containing far less than those only available to home growers.
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Source: theguardian.com