Sweet, fresh blueberries are packed with disease-fighting antioxidants and nutrients. We celebrate the berry in July for National Blueberry Month, but this true-blue fruit is available (and delicious) year-round. Take a look at interesting facts about the berry:
- Blueberries are one of the only natural foods that are truly blue in color.
- Because of the high amount of antioxidants in blueberries, it is thought that they may help prevent damage caused by cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
- Blueberries grow best in acidic soil at a pH of four to five and make a good container plant.
- The peak season for fresh blueberries runs from mid-June to mid-August.
- Blueberries are grown commercially in 38 states.
- Most highbush blueberries are used for fresh market, while lowbush blueberries are used primarily in food processing.
- The U.S. is the world’s largest producer of blueberries, harvesting a total of 564.4 million pounds of cultivated and wild blueberries in 2012.
- Michigan was the nation’s leading producer of cultivated blueberries in 2012. The state harvested 87 million pounds for the year. Other top states included Georgia, Oregon, Washington and New Jersey.
- Maine was the leading producer of wild blueberries, harvesting 91.1 million pounds of wild blueberries in 2012.
- Blueberries rank as the second most important commercial berry crop in the U.S.
Source: http://ffanewhorizons.org