Not so Blue, Blueberries…

blueberrybabyfoodThe Blueberry: I am a big fan of blueberries. They certainly don’t make me sad or blue! Good ones tend to be sweet and juicy. These tiny, round blue-purple berries attribute to the longevity and wellness of our natives living around subarctic regions in the Northern hemisphere.

They grown on bushes. Specifically high-bush is a highly branched shrub with rich foliage. They can get as big as 10-12 feet tall in cultivated orchards. In addition to high-bush, there are also low-bush which is a short and grows about one-two feet in height.

Blueberries begin to ripen as the weather gets warmer in May and they continue to ripen until about September. Although it is possible to pick blueberries at other times of the year in United States locations like Florida and California, many of the blueberries that will arrive at your grocery store during the winter have been held in temperature-controlled storage since they were picked in the summer.

Nutrition Facts:  Blueberries are very low in calories. They also provide dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and pigment anti-oxidants that contribute immensely towards optimum health and wellness.

Health Benefits:

  • Blueberries help protect against cancers, aging, degenerative diseases, and infections.
  • Other research has found that they assist in lower blood sugar levels and control blood-glucose levels in type-II diabetes mellitus condition.
  • Fresh blueberries have small amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E, which helps limit free radical mediated injury to the body.
  • Potassium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc are found in blueberries. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme. Copper is required for the production of red blood cells. Iron is required for red blood cell formation.

Selection and Storage:

  • Can find them in stores anytime of the year. They are best from June until August. Locally, we like to go to Spencer’s Farm here in Noblesville to pick blueberries and other seasonal fruits throughout the year.
  • Look for fresh berries that are firm, plump, smooth-skinned, with a silver-gray surface. The best is the look of deep purple-blue to blue-black. Old stock may have the signs of soft or shriveled and bruised.
  • At home, I have found that if after I wash them in cold water, I lay them out on a large paper towel inside a cookie sheet to roll them around to help dry them off. Then I pat the tops with another paper towel to further reduce the excess water. I like using the little plastic container that they come in and I place a dry paper towel (either folded or cut to size of bottom and replace the berries back inside the provided container. I feel that they stay fresh longer because of the air holes that the original package comes with.

Next time you head to the store, be sure to pick up a package of fresh blueberries to make you smile!

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