Blueberries Are One Of The Healthiest Fruits On The Market

National Blueberry Pie Day is observed each year on April 28.  It honors one of America’s favorite desserts.

• 1829 – The first published use of the word ‘blueberry pie’ may have appeared in “New England Farmer” in November 1829, and only in passing.
• 1850 – The first blueberry pie recipe is published by a woman named Mrs. Bliss in “Practical Cook Book.”
• 1872 – Blueberry Pie was documented in the Appledore Cook Book
• 1899 – The Wyman Canning Company shifts from preserving seafood in tin cans to preserving wild blueberries — they are still the best known frozen and canned fruit provider in New England
• 1950 – Helen’s Restaurant is founded in Machias, Maine, and will go on to perfect a blueberry pie recipe that is touted as the best in the world
• 1990 – Fifth-grade student Megan Frank persuades Maine’s legislature to vote blueberry pie as the state’s official dessert.
• Blueberry Pie Has been enjoyed since the early American settlers
• Blueberries are one of the healthiest fruits on the market
• Blueberries inhibit cancer development
• Blueberries can help prevent urinary tract disease
• Blueberries assist in maintaining normal blood pressure
• Blueberries help reduce blood sugar and symptoms of depression
• Blueberries enhance memory
• Blueberries are among the few natural foods that are truly blue.
• The pale, powder-like protective coating on the skin of blueberries is called “bloom.”  Bloom indicates fresh berries.
• According to some studies, blueberries have been part of the human diet for at least 13,000 years.
• A blueberry extract diet improves balance, coordination, and short-term memory in aging rats.
• Blueberries are the official berries of Nova Scotia, Canada.
• The anthocyanin present in blueberries is good for eyesight.
• Blueberries are the fruits of a shrub that belongs to the heath (Ericaceae) family, whose other members include the cranberry and bilberry, as well as the azalea, mountain laurel, and rhododendron.
• Blueberries grow in clusters and range in size from that of a small pea to a marble.
• Blueberries are native to North America, where they grow throughout the woods and mountainous regions in the United States and Canada. This fruit is rarely found in Europe and was recently introduced to Australia.
• Native Americans once called blueberries “star berries” because the blossoms make a star shape.
• There are approximately 30 different species of blueberries with different ones growing throughout various regions.
• Michigan is the number one state in highbush blueberry production, with growers producing over 100 million pounds of blueberries every year.
• Blueberries are literally bursting with nutrients and flavor, yet very low in calories. Recently, researchers at Tufts University analyzed 60 fruits and vegetables for their antioxidant capability. Blueberries came out on top, rating highest for their ability to neutralize free radicals.
• Ten states grow 98 percent of U.S. blueberries: California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington.
• Blueberries freeze in just 4 minutes.
• Fresh blueberry consumption per person more than doubled between 2007 and 2012, from 0.5 to 1.2 pounds.
• Peak blueberry season in most of the United States runs from mid-June to mid-August. However, Florida blueberries have their peak production season in March and April.

Sources:

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