Did You Know? 10 Surprising Facts About Blueberries
Thu, May 04, 2017
- One large handful (1/2 a cup) of juicy blueberries contains just 44 calories but has 2 grams of dietary fibre and 10% of your daily recommended vitamin C content.
- Blueberries ranked number one in antioxidant health benefits in a comparison with more than 40 fresh fruits and vegetables.
- The blueberry is one of the only foods that is truly naturally blue in colour. The pigment that gives blueberries their distinctive colour—called anthocyanin—is the same compound that provides the blueberry’s amazing health benefits.
- People have been eating blueberries for more than 13,000 years.
- The blueberry (genus Vaccinum) is one of the only commercially-available fruits that is native to North America.
- Blueberries were called “star fruits” by North American indigenous peoples because of the five-pointed star shape that is formed at the blossom end of the berry.
- A single blueberry bush can produce as many as 6,000 blueberries per year.
- British Columbia is the largest highbush blueberry growing region in the world. As a country, Canada ranks third behind the US and Chile. Blueberries are Canada’s most exported fruit.
- The silvery sheen (or “bloom”) found on the skin of blueberries is a naturally occurring compound that helps protect the fruit. This why you should only wash blueberries right before you’re going to eat them. The berries should be stored in the refrigerator and will keep fresh for up to 10 days.
- Consumption of blueberries has been linked to health benefits including a reduced risk of cancer, increased insulin response, a reversal in age-related memory loss, and lowering blood pressure.