Blåbärssoppa or blueberry soup ( fi, mustikkakeitto, is, bláberjasúpa) is a Nordic soup made from

bilberries Bilberries (), or sometimes European blueberries, are a primarily Eurasian species of low-growing shrubs in the genus '' Vaccinium'' (family Ericaceae), bearing edible, dark blue berries. The species most often referred to is ''Vaccinium myrti ...

, which can be served cold or hot. It is sweet and contains

starch Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants for energy storage. Worldwide, it is the most common carbohydrate in human die ...

, which gives it a fairly thick consistency. It is served either as soup, often together with porridge, or as a drink. In the USA, blåbärssoppa is imported and sold under the trade name ''Blåbär''. Blåbärssoppa can be home-made from bilberries, sugar, water and

potato starch Potato starch is starch extracted from potatoes. The cells of the root tubers of the potato plant contain leucoplasts (starch grains). To extract the starch, the potatoes are crushed, and the starch grains are released from the destroyed cells. ...

, or it can be bought ready-made or in powdered form, to mix with water. The Swedish word for bilberry, ''blåbär'', literally means "blueberry", but the beverage is not made from the North American

blueberry Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' within the genus '' Vaccinium''. ''Vaccinium'' also includes cranberries ...

(section ''Cyanococcus'' of the genus ''Vaccinium''), but from the related but distinct

bilberry Bilberries (), or sometimes European blueberries, are a primarily Eurasian species of low-growing shrubs in the genus '' Vaccinium'' (family Ericaceae), bearing edible, dark blue berries. The species most often referred to is ''Vaccinium myrti ...

, ''

Vaccinium myrtillus ''Vaccinium myrtillus'' or European blueberry is a holarctic species of shrub with edible fruit of blue color, known by the common names bilberry, blaeberry, wimberry, and whortleberry. It is more precisely called common bilberry or blue whortle ...

'', which grows in the wild throughout Scandinavia and other parts of Europe.

Uses

Blåbärssoppa is traditionally served to the participants at the ski marathon

Vasaloppet ( Swedish for 'the Vasa-race') is an annual long distance cross-country ski race held on the first Sunday of March. The course starts in the village of Berga, just south of Sälen in western Dalarna, Sweden, and ends in the town of Mora in t ...

, as it is rich in energy. Bilberries have traditionally been used to combat mild gastrointestinal ailments,Bilberry
information from RxList Inc. and in Sweden and Finland, blåbärssoppa is often considered suitable food for people with an upset stomach, also because it is energy-rich.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blabarssoppa Swedish soups Non-alcoholic drinks Fruit soups Cross-country skiing in Sweden Blueberries

Uses

See also

References