Health Benefits of Huckleberries

Huckleberry, the name immortalized by the famous character Huckleberry Finn, is one of the most popular fruits in North America. If you are unaware of it, note that huckleberries are small fruits that resemble blueberries. These berries belong to the family Ericaceae. These berries are not only good to taste, but, are also useful for medicinal purposes.

Huckleberries are small and round and they can be found in blue, crimson, purple or in very dark blue color. These berries can be very sweet to taste or even sour. In fact, you may find the taste of blueberries and huckleberries very much similar.

These berries are not commercially grown on a large scale. As these are similar to blueberries, they too are used for similar purposes and in similar fashion as that of blueberries. However, what most of us are unaware about is that these berries contain properties which are beneficial for human beings. Let's see the huckleberry health benefits in detail.

1 ounce of huckleberries contain around 1012 calories and 2.5 grams of carbohydrates. These berries are high in vitamins, and contain around 22 IU of vitamin A. They also contain high amounts of vitamin B and vitamin C. At the same time, other minerals like sodium, iron, potassium, and calcium are found in these berries.

Here are the medicinal uses of these berries:

• Huckleberries contain high amounts of antioxidants. Antioxidants help in prevention of several diseases like cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, glaucoma, etc. Antioxidants also slow down the process of aging. Therefore, including huckleberries in the diet can be very helpful.

• As mentioned earlier, these berries contain high amounts of vitamin B which is beneficial for speeding up the metabolism and enhancing cell growth. Vitamin B is also essential for improving the immune system and having healthy hair and skin.

• Huckleberries also enhance the function of pancreas and aid in digestion of starch and sugar. These berries can also help in prevention of pancreatic cancer.
• As the berries have high amounts of vitamin C, consuming them help in boosting the immune system and keeping infectious diseases at bay. They also help in prevention of heart and eye diseases. 

• It is also proven that huckleberries are beneficial for treating skin diseases. Packs made using huckleberries help in treatment of skin disorders like eczema.
• Along with slowing down the process of aging, huckleberries also protect cells against damage caused due to free radicals. This helps in prevention of premature wrinkling of the skin.

• Huckleberries also contain potassium which is useful for carrying out different functions in the body; the major being regulation of water balance.
• As these berries are high in iron, they help in building healthy red blood cells.

• Lastly, the huckleberries are gaining popularity because they also help in the treatment of diseases like peptic ulcers, hemorrhoids, glaucoma, muscular degeneration and varicose veins.

As we can see the numerous health benefits of huckleberries, these are the most popular fruits today and the demand for them is increasing. So, if you too wish to enjoy their health benefits, add them in your fruit dishes or simply have them with honey. They are awesome!