July is National Blueberry Month!!!
Did you know July is National Blueberry Month? With all the warm and wonderful weather the US sees during the month of July, it is the perfect time to eat local blueberries all day.
It is common knowledge how delicious blueberries are, and every day we are discovering new health benefits blueberries possess. But there is a lot more you might not know about this little blue dynamo! In recognition of National Blueberry Month, here is a list of interesting tidbits about this incredibly delicious superfood we call ‘Blueberry’. Enjoy!
Blueberries have been around for thousands of years.
Blueberries are 1 of only 3 berries native to North America.
The darker a blueberry is, the sweeter the taste of the blueberry.
Refrigerator blueberries can last up to 10 days in good condition.
The most popular muffin in the United States is a blueberry muffin!
Blueberry season in the United States usually only lasts 45-60 days.
Blueberries have a cholesterol-lowering antioxidant called stilbenes.
Blueberries are the 2nd most lucrative commercial berry crop in the US.
Blueberries don’t ripen at the same time even though they are in clusters.
Blueberries are one of the few natural foods that are actually blue in color.
Fresh, frozen, or dried, blueberries still pack a nutritional and beneficial punch.
Early Native Americans would dye their clothing and baskets with blueberry juice.
Blue paint for woodwork was made with blueberry skins, milk, and sage blossoms.
Various antioxidants in blueberries have been shown to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Columnists in early America mixed blueberries with milk and boiled it to make great paint.
Blueberry harvest in North America starts in April in Florida to late September in Canada.
In the Civil War, Union troops ate blueberries that were collected, packaged, and sent to them.
Blueberries are considered a convenience food because they require no peeling, pitting, or hulling.
The United States of America produces more blueberries than any other country, nearly 90% in the world.
Early Native Americans often made jerky out of dried blueberries for sustenance for long-distance traveling.
Early Native Americans believed that the “Great Sprit” gave him berries to feed their children during a famine.
Early Native Americans used blueberry juice as a medicine to treat various illnesses including persistent coughs.
A study by Tufts University found that blueberries have more antioxidants than equal servings of all other fruits and vegetables.
Early Native Americans used to call to them as “star berries”, referring to five points on their blossom resembling a star shape.
Early North American explorers Lewis and Clark found that Native Americans smoked wild blueberries in order to preserve them during winter.
The beautiful blue-purple color of a blueberry comes from the antioxidant anthocyanin. Anthocyanin has been found to help prevent diseases and improve eyesight.
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