Blueberry Facts
Blueberry Facts You May Not Know
Pick a blueberry - facts don't lie - for your next healthy snack or meal accent! You can't go wrong.
• Blueberries may vary in taste from somewhat sweet to more tart, blueberry facts confirm, but they are all flavorful and very nutritious. The privately cultivated berries tend to be sweeter, and the wilder berries more tart.
• Blueberries are related to bilberries and cranberries, and they grow in a shrub. In clusters is the way you will typically find them growing, and their size may be as small as peas or as large as marbles.
• Blueberries don't have as much vitamin C as some fruits, but they still provide about thirty percent of your daily requirements. Blueberry facts also say that they are a good source of manganese, vitamin E and dietary fiber.
• Blueberries contain antioxidant compounds that give them their color, and also are healthy for the human body. They also contain ellagic acid, which may prevent cell damage.
• In laboratory studies with animals, blueberries were found to protect the brain from stress, and could possibly reduce the effects on the brain of diseases like Alzheimer’s.
• In recent testing, blueberry facts confirm that this fruit is the highest fruit in antioxidants. So you can enjoy a healthy snack that tastes great too!
• Other studies have determined that eating blueberries or strawberries three times a day can lower your risk of developing colon cancer and ovarian cancer, and can aid in the health of your digestive system.
• Blueberries make their native home in North America, blueberry facts confirm. They grow most easily in the mountains of Canada and the United States. The blueberry is almost never seen growing in Europe and is now being introduced into Australia.
• There are about thirty different varieties of blueberries, and they appear to vary according to the region they grow in. Blueberries were not eaten by themselves much until the mid-nineteenth century, when sweeteners became available, as the tart flavor caused people to avoid eating them alone. Native Americans, blueberry facts conclude, used the blueberry to make pemmican, but did not often eat the berries by themselves.
• When choosing blueberries, it's best to pick berries with a bright color and a white bloom. Berries in plastic boxes like you see in your local produce department should bounce when you gently shake the container. If they don't, it could mean that they're soft or over-ripe.
• You can use fresh or dried blueberries to add more flavor to your breakfast cereal. To make an elegant dessert for guests, you can layer blueberries and yogurt in a wine glass, and garnish with ginger.
• Blueberry facts confirm that blueberries are excellent in cobbler, pie and muffins. Or shake some in sugar in a bag for a tasty, healthy snack.