Blueberry

Also known asVaccinium corymbosum · 蓝莓

Name: Blueberry (Vaccinium spp., chiefly the highbush Vaccinium corymbosum and lowbush Vaccinium angustifolium).

Description

Blueberries are a group of North American shrubs in the genus Vaccinium, part of the heath family and close relatives of cranberries and bilberries. The plants are deciduous perennials that range from knee-high lowbush varieties to highbush cultivars reaching several metres tall, with small urn-shaped white-to-pink flowers that give way to true berries — each dotted with many tiny seeds and ripening to a deep indigo-blue with a pale waxy bloom on the skin.

Highbush blueberry is by far the most widely cultivated type, with more than fifty named cultivars grown commercially across states such as Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Maine, and New Jersey, while the heat-tolerant rabbiteye blueberry is favoured further south. The plants need distinctly acidic, well-drained, moisture-retentive soil, which is part of why commercial production concentrates in a fairly narrow set of regions despite the fruit's popularity nationwide.

Main nutrition value

Per 100g, raw blueberries:

Blueberries stand out for vitamin K and manganese, with a useful amount of fiber and vitamin C alongside the antioxidant pigments that give the fruit its colour.

How best to be consumed

Blueberries are best eaten fresh and raw, straight up or added to yogurt, oatmeal, or salads, since baking into muffins and pies adds sugar and softens their texture without adding nutrition. They also freeze exceptionally well without much nutrient loss, which makes frozen blueberries a reasonable year-round substitute for fresh.

Overconsumption could cause…

Blueberries are one of the gentler fruits on the digestive system, but eating very large amounts can still cause bloating or loose stools from the fiber and natural sugar load. Their vitamin K content is worth a mention for anyone on warfarin or other blood-thinning medication that requires a consistent vitamin K intake, though ordinary servings are not a concern for most people.

GroupsBerriesHeath family (Ericaceae)Low fatLow sodiumFresh

Made intoBlueberry JamDried Blueberries

Related foodsCranberryBilberryHuckleberryLingonberryBlackcurrantRaspberry

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central — Blueberries, raw (FDC ID 171711), 100g portion: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171711/nutrients Encyclopaedia Britannica — Blueberry: https://www.britannica.com/plant/blueberry-plant