BLUEBERRIES
An All-Star Berry
The blueberry is native to North America and is
from the genus Vaccinium. They range in color
from dark purple to blue-black to light blue, and
while these guys seem to appear to be quite
small, blueberries have proven themselves as tiny
treasures for a healthy lifestyle. Early settlers of
North America incorporated the berries into their
diets, eating them fresh off the bush and adding
them to soups, stews and many other foods. Take advantage of all this
delicious berry has to offer year-round by freezing them in the winter to
make muffins, pancakes, waffles or pie. In present day, blueberries are
grown in more than thirty states as well as in British Columbia. Nearly
half of the cultivated blueberries grown are sold as fresh blueberries.
Fresh blueberries are available for almost eight months out of the year
from producers across the United States and Canada.
Nutrition NOTES
It is quite evident that people are catching on to the fact that blueberries are
a super food because of their remarkably high concentrations of antioxidants,
dietary fiber, phytonutrients, vitamin C and more. The phytonutrients they contain
have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help lessen the
inflammatory process associated with common conditions such as heart disease,
cancer, and other age-related diseases. The high vitamin C content in blueberries
aid in collagen formation and helps maintain healthy gums and capillaries, along
with a healthy immune system.
The Fresh Pick Review is
an informative newsletter
designed to provide a variety
of interesting facts, figures
and health benefits as they
relate to our featured Fresh
Pick item of the month. We
hope you enjoy this newsletter
and if you have any feedback
on how to make our Fresh
Pick Review even better,
please email your suggestions
or comments to freshpick@
ideaworksfoodmarketing.com.
DidYou
KNOW
• blueberries won’t ripen once they
are picked
• Early American colonists made grey
paint by boiling blueberries in milk
• If all of the blueberries grown in North
America in one year were spread out
in a single layer, they would cover a
four-lane highway that stretched from
New York to Chicago
Source: http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/health-benefits-of-blueberries/blueberry-nutrition/
Chef Remmi Smith is Sodexo’s
first ever “Student Ambassador
for Nutrition and Health” and is host
of a health based TV
cooking show “Cook Time with
RemmiTM.” In her new role,
Remmi will have the opportunity
to positively impact the lives of
students in Sodexo-served school
districts across the country by
having the opportunity to speak
directly to the students through
specially produced videos, nutrition
education materials and in-person
appearances.
For The
RECORD
HEAVIEST BLUEBERRY
Let’s Get Cooking
BLUEBERRY AND
CUCUMBER SALAD
WHO
Poland SP Zo.o
WHERE
Poland
WHEN
1 August 2008
DETAILS
olana SP. Zo.o grew the heaviest
P
blueberry on record, a variety of called
“Chandler”, grown in Ochoza, Parczew
in Poland. The fruit weighed in at 0.4
ounces on August 1, 2008.
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 Cucumber(medium/peeled/sliced thin in rounds)
• 1 C Blueberries
• 1 C Strawberries(sliced)
• ¼ C onion(sliced thin)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 T Salad oil(light)
• 2 T Vinegar(red or white)
• 2 T Fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS:
Prepare ingredients as directed. In medium bowl, place the cucumber,
blueberries, strawberries, and onion. Toss with the oil and vinegar and
add salt and pepper to taste, garnish with Parsley.
By The NUMBERS
80
THE AMOUNT OF
CALORIES THAT ONE SERVING
OF BLUEBERRIES CONTAINS
It’s All HISTORY
The early American Indians cherished the wild
blueberries, calling them “star berries” because of the
calyx that forms at the blossom end of each berry.
According to legend, the Great Spirit sent “star berries”
to feed children dying of hunger during a famine. Early
settlers also cherished the fruit as a staple ingredient in
foods and medicines. Early settlers cherished the fruit
as a staple ingredient in foods and medicines, as well.
They incorporated the fruit as a staple ingredient into
their diets, eating them fresh off the bush and adding
them to soups, stews, and many other foods. North
America is the world’s leading blueberry producer and
accounts for nearly 90% of the world’s production. The
North American Harvest runs from mid-April to early
October, with National Blueberry Month in July being the
peak harvest time.
853,000,000
The amount of pounds
of blueberries consumed
IN THE U.S. IN 2011
review