News

February 2, 2011

HEALTH BENEFITS OF BLUEBERRIES

Press event to celebrate NS Wild Blueberry
Halifax Seaport Market Feb 1, 2011

Not only are wild blueberries valuable to our Nova Scotia farming economy, but research is showing that these delicious and versatile fruit may also be valuable to our personal health and nutrition. Research in various fields of biomedicine continues to provide new evidence showing how blueberries may protect against the damage caused by various diseases and even normal aging.

While early research suggested that the antioxidant power of blueberries was responsible for the health benefits of these fruit, more recent research has shown that blueberries may be more important in reducing the inflammation that accompanies disease and aging. Blueberry health research spans the fields of cardiovascular health, neuroscience , cancer, inflammation, aging, and, more recently, diabetes and human vision research.

Dr. Wilhelmina (Willy) Kalt is a food chemist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) working with a growing number of researchers on the topic of blueberries and human health. She can be reached at the AAFC Research Centre in Kentville at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 902-679-5757.