18 July: Blueberries

July is National Blueberry Month, so here are some fascinating facts about blueberries.

1. Blueberries belong to the genus Vaccinum, and are therefore related to not only cranberries, bilberries and huckleberries but also the Rhododendron and the azalea.
2. They are a rare example of a food that is naturally Blue. The pigment responsible for the colour is anthocyanin.
3. Blueberries are native to North America and weren't introduced to Europe until the 1930s. They are grown commercially in several US states and in British Columbia in Canada. Blueberries are Canada’s most exported fruit.
4. North American indigenous peoples called them “star fruits” because the blossom end of the berry forms a star shape. In most languages, however, the word for this fruit is a translation of "blue berry".
5. There are two types of blueberries, highbush and lowbush. The ones you find in the supermarket are highbush. Lowbush blueberries are smaller and sweeter, and are the ones used for juices, jams, blueberry muffin mixes and the like. Lowbush blueberries can also be used to make blueberry wine.
6. A single blueberry bush can produce as many as 6,000 blueberries per year.
7. Wild blueberries produce more fruit after forest fires.
8. The silvery "bloom" on blueberries is a natural compound which protects the fruit. Therefore you should only wash them right before you plan to eat them.
9. It's said that early American colonists boiled them with Milk to make Grey paint.
10. Blueberries consist of 14% carbohydrates, 0.7% protein, 0.3% fat and 84% water. They contain moderate levels of manganese, Vitamin C, vitamin K and dietary fibre.