Portland, ME – In recent good news for health-conscious consumers, Health magazine has named Wild Blueberries high on its list of “America’s Healthiest Superfoods for Women.”  The feature, running in the magazine’s January/February 2010 issue, singles out Wild Blueberries’ impressive variety of potential health benefits, including preventing memory loss, improving motor skills, lowering blood pressure, and fighting wrinkles (see http://tinyurl.com/yzrsndg).

“If berries are nutritional treasures, Wild Blueberries are the crown jewels…truly one of nature’s ultimate antiaging foods,” according to the feature, which gave Wild Blueberries the #2 slot on its Superfoods list.  Health editors recommend that readers mix in Wild Blueberries with their daily berries servings “as much as possible” for their many health benefits, and point readers to the frozen fruit aisle of supermarkets for the healthy frozen version available every season of the year.

A native North American berry, Wild Blueberries
(www.wildblueberries.com) grow naturally in Downeast Maine and Canada. 
The state of Maine is by far the #1 producer in the world, growing over
90 million pounds in recent years.  Sweet and tangy Wild Blueberries –
as opposed to their cultivated counterpart – have been found to have a
higher level of antioxidants than most other fruits by USDA research
findings and by such respected publications as the Journal of
Agriculture and Food Chemistry, having long been prized for their
nutritional properties.  The delicious, pearl-sized berries may help
boost immune systems and help guard against cell damage associated with
cancer, heart disease, damage from stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and the
effects of aging for both men and women.    

The recent Health article on America’s Healthiest Superfoods further
builds on Wild Blueberries’ stellar reputation in the health and flavor
arena.  The magazine reports that when Cornell University scientists
recently devised a new method of testing the antioxidant activity in
foods, Wild Blueberries scored the highest marks.

“This is impressive.  Wild Blueberries have become a bona fide icon for
healthy foods, plain and simple,” noted Dr. Steven Pratt, M.D., senior
staff ophthalmologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla,
California, world-renowned nutrition authority, and author of the
best-selling SuperFoods Rx series of books.  “Of particular interest has
been watching the rise of frozen Wild Blueberries
(http://www.wildblueberries.com/frozen_landingpage/index.php), where the
frozen version of the fruit is every bit as nutritious as the fresh off
the field.” 

Dr. Pratt’s observation helps explain why nutrient-rich, frozen Wild
Blueberries are changing how many shoppers are beginning to view the
frozen food aisle in their local supermarkets.

Nutrition Advisor Susan Davis, MS, RD agrees:  “Wild Blueberries really
are leading the charge in the frozen fruit aisle,” she said.  “For
starters, you’ve got all of the antioxidant-rich nutritional properties
remaining intact when fresh Wild Blueberries are flash-frozen.  But add
to that the unique fact that Wild Blueberries perfectly retain their
structural integrity and sweet flavor when frozen, and health-conscious
shoppers who want Wild Blueberries year round are presented with a ‘home
run’ fruit. 

“This is an especially valuable dynamic when you consider that the
majority of Americans still aren’t eating the recommended daily amounts
of fruits and vegetables,” Davis added.  “Frozen Wild Blueberries can
really help people reach the next healthy-eating level, and that’s a
promising development.”

A growing number of headlines over the past few years have drawn attention to the many benefits of Wild Blueberries’ high antioxidant value.  One such national example is AARP The Magazine’s “Healing Foods” feature, which reported that when Tufts University researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging reviewed disease-fighting antioxidant activity of 40 fruits and vegetables, Wild Blueberries beat the pack by a wide margin.  Study results indicated that the benefits of eating just one serving of Wild Blueberries equaled those of eating two to three servings of other fruits and vegetables, such as spinach, apples, and broccoli.  A wide range of news outlets ranging from CBS News and Yahoo! Health to The New York Times Magazine similarly have promoted the natural fruit’s benefits and growing appeal.

“Wild Blueberries are viewed as a superfood for a reason, and more and more Americans are coming to realize that,” added Dr. Pratt.  “It’s interesting that this very different sort of fruit can provide so many real benefits to such a wide range of people interested in healthy options – whether aging Americans, younger couples, or their kids – but can go about doing so in such a simple, delicious and convenient way.” 

The Wild Blueberry Association of North America sees the inherent nutrition and convenience value of frozen Wild Blueberries, as well, and is aligned with the Produce for Better Health Foundation in support of its “Fruits and Veggies More Matters” campaign.  The campaign seeks to educate Americans that all forms of fruits and veggies – frozen, fresh, canned and dried – count toward meeting daily fruit and vegetable consumption goals.

Wild Blueberries—A Maine Tradition

The Wild Blueberry holds a special place in Maine’s agricultural history—one that goes back centuries to Maine’s Native Americans.  They were the first to use the tiny blue berries, both fresh and dried, for their flavor, their nutrition and their healing qualities. In the 1840s, Wild Blueberries were first harvested commercially. 



Maine is the world’s #1 producer of Wild Blueberries.  The Maine harvest accounts for virtually all of the Wild Blueberries commercially grown in the United States. 



The Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine is an association of growers and processors of Wild Blueberries from Maine working on behalf of its members in the areas of research and development, government and public relations.  For more information visit wildblueberries.com.    

For recent news, recipes, and related health information about Wild Blueberries, visit www.wildblueberries.com , and follow www.facebook.com/wildblueberries and www.twitter.com/WildBBerries4U .