National Blueberry Pie Day is observed each year on April 28. It honors one of America’s favorite desserts.
- Blueberry Pie Has been enjoyed since the early American settlers
- Blueberry Pie Is the official state dessert of Maine
- Blueberry Pie Was documented in the Appledore Cook Book in 1872
- 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 Helps reduce blood sugar and symptoms of depression
- Blueberries Enhance memory
- Blueberries are one of the only natural foods that are truly blue in color.
- 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 belong 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 growing in Europe and has only been recently introduced in 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 in their capacity to destroy 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.
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