Berry Delicious
American Institute for Cancer Research

Blueberries are as American as apple pie - maybe even more so. Native Americans ate wild blueberries fresh and also dried them in the sun to be used later. Early colonists not only ate blueberries but also boiled them in milk to make gray paint. America has a national passion for the deep blue, sweet and juicy berries - both wild and cultivated. Every year we eat millions of tons of blueberries.

Blueberries can be used many ways. Served in a bowl with milk, they make a simple but satisfying dessert. Toss a handful of fresh berries into your breakfast cereal or waffles or use them to top a warm English muffin spread with softened light cream cheese. Pureé them in a blender with reduced-fat yogurt or milk for a powerhouse smoothie. Mix them into a chicken salad, or use them to color and flavor a summer fruit salad.

One of the oldest known fruits, blueberries were prized for medicinal uses. Modern science has found that blueberries contain compounds like anthocyanins that may help to protect against many chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Anthocyanins (from two Greek words meaning "plant" and "blue") are responsible for the intense blue color of the berries.

When buying berries, select those that are firm, uniform in size and dark blue with a silvery frost. Avoid wrinkled berries or leaky packages. For optimum taste, berries should be used as soon as possible, but they can be kept refrigerated for up to two weeks.

Refrigerate berries in containers that are not tightly sealed so air can circulate and help prevent mold from developing. And don't wash them until you are about to use them, or they'll get mushy. To preserve their flavor, don't soak them - a brief rinse will do.
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