Don't cry the blues, eat them. At least that is what blueberry growers are hoping you will do. And, quite possibly, we should all heed their advise. For it appears that blueberries may have some very nutritional and beneficial properties. They have been talking about this for the past few years and I thought I would summarize what people are saying for you.

First, blueberries may help keep blood pressure in check. Finland's largest dairy group, Valio, recently began marketing a blueberry milk product called "Evolus," which they claim is the first blood-pressure lowering food product in Europe.

According to Valio, the blue milk and has been the subject of two independent studies, including one study by the Finnish National Public Health Institute.

Test subjects who had slightly elevated blood pressure were given two doses of Evolus for eight weeks. According to the company, blood pressure was measured weekly and both diastolic and systolic blood pressure in those who consumed the product fell further than the placebo groups. Here's to blue milk (but will American kids drink blue milk?)

Second, several researchers from various countries have come to believe that blueberries help protect cells from cell damage and protect our nervous systems. Recent published studies have found that animals fed a blueberry extract diet showed fewer age-related motor changes and outperformed their non-blueberry consuming peers on memory tests. The thought is that blueberries and other foods containing antioxidants may act to protect the body against damage from "oxidative stress," one of several biological processes associated with aging and neurological diseases.

Third, research on the health benefits of blueberries has also been conducted in Italy, France, Spain, Korea, U.S.A., and New Zealand. One recent Japanese study dealt specifically with the effects of blueberries on eyesight. The study took 26 people and divided them into two groups. One group ingested blueberry extract twice a day for 28 days; the other consumed a placebo. Using a variety of approaches to test vision enhancement, the results reportedly indicated that the group consuming the blueberry extract realized measurable vision gains.

Blueberry extract reportedly had a positive effect on tired eyes more than on any other symptom and there were no reported side effects. The study concluded that blueberry extract wards off certain eyesight problems but does not have much of an effect on cataracts or already weak eyes. More research is needed, but there may be promise.

Apparently, the same thing that makes blueberries blue, a pigment called anthocyanin, makes them an effective antioxidant. Antioxidants neutralize the effects of "free radicals," which are unstable compound molecules that can attack human cells and damage their DNA. So eating blueberries may help offset the effects of free radicals, thereby improving our health. At least, that is the theory.

There is a lot of information about the reported health benefits associated with blueberries on the internet. I personally have no way of knowing what is true and what is not, and obviously you should talk with your doctor about health concerns that you may have.

Even to the most cynical minded person, however, blueberries seem to show real promise. Who would have ever guessed?

The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.