farmers thought blueberries had no domestication potential, till elizabeth white and frederick coville proved them wrong by developing ways to cultivate these berries.
the packaging for Elizabeth’s blueberries, whitesbog blueberries, was completed in 1917 and soon after, blueberries were the newest cool kid on the block.
into the wild
If blueberries were only successfully cultivated in the early 1900s, what did it mean to anyone before? Hundreds of years before the successful commercialisation of blueberries, native Americans would go into the forests to gather blueberries as part of their diet. They used it in medicine, food and even as dye for baskets and cloth.
let’s go high-low
Blueberries can generally be split into two varieties - lowbush and highbush. As its name suggests, lowbush blueberry plants are shorter than its highbush counterpart. Lowbush blueberries are sometimes known as “wild” blueberries, as most commercial plantations cultivate the highbush variety.
anthocya-what?
Anthocyanidins are exceptional antioxidants mainly found in red/purple fruits and vegetables like blueberries. Due to their ability to reinforce and preserve blood vessels, this antioxidant has been linked with helping to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by protecting the blood vessels around the heart.
blue brains
The results from some studies suggest that blueberries can improve memory and cognitive function. According to one study, blueberry supplements helped improve memory in elderly people, while another suggested that wild blueberry powder helped boost problem solving and memory retention in children.
no more monday blues
If you find yourself dragging your feet to work, pop some blueberries when Monday comes along. There’s evidence that flavonoids found in blueberries can decrease the risk of depression and improve the moods of children and young adults.