| 2010
Oregon Blueberry Pre-Harvest Update
Healthy and Delicious – A Summer Time
Classic
Freshly Harvested Oregon Blueberries
- one of the joys of summer - are on the way and
this year’s crop is looking bigger and better
than ever.
A bumper crop of fresh blueberries is good news
for customers who have increasingly become aware
of the advantages of buying local and buying fresh.
While we tend to think of Oregon blueberries as
simply a tasty summer treat, blueberries have been
named one of the Super Foods for a healthy mind
and body.
In fact, it’s the super food designation that
has driven Oregon blueberry production and sales
increases in recent years. Oregon’s blueberry
harvest could reach a new record this year with
what appears to be a 50 million pound crop now ripening
in Oregon fields. With such large production numbers,
Oregon remains one of the top producing states in
the nation.
Fresh Oregon blueberries are a hot commodity these
days for a lot of reasons with incredible taste,
the highest quality and high nutritional value being
just a few.
Oregon growers routinely realize the highest crop
yields per acre compared to any other state, an
estimated 9,000 pounds per acre. Oregon farms range
from large operations that ship their crop to both
national and international buyers to small family
farms with less than ten acres offering on-farm
sales.
Oregon Blueberries
– Taste Great and Good for the Body
While Oregon blueberries may have advantages when
it comes to taste and quality, it’s the international
interest in nutrition and healthy eating that have
fueled the growth.
“In general, blueberries are the richest sources
of antioxidant phytonutrients of the fresh fruits
and vegetables that we’ve studied,”
says Dr. Ronald Prior.
Antioxidants refer to the negative oxidation properties
or compounds found in blueberries. Certain natural
fruits and vegetables supply the body with chemicals
which react against particularly harmful oxidants
associated with elements (“free radicals”)
which can damage a wide variety of functions and
internal processes.
More
on Health – Five-a-Day The Color Way
Just one-half cup of blueberries helps you on your
way to meeting the USDA’s recommended goal
of five to nine servings a day of fruits and vegetables.
The Five-a-Day The Color Way program suggests that
to achieve optimal health benefits, we should choose
colorful fruits and vegetables daily from each of
the five color groups. Blueberries are a proud member
of the Blue/Purple group.
When it comes to taste and nutrition, Oregon blueberries
are the true blue. Their sweet, fruity flavor has
been enjoyed for years and now thanks to research
going on in labs across the U.S. and Canada, there’s
big news about the blues. These tasty little berries
are, in fact, powerful disease fighters.
Research shows that blueberries contain natural
compounds that help our bodies stay healthy and
may help prevent age-related diseases, including
Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration and some
forms of cancer. With only 40 fat-free calories
per half-cup, blueberries are also a great source
of fiber and vitamin C. A serving of blueberries
is a quick way to help meet the USDA’s recommendation
of colorful fruits every day.
Give Us a Call for More Information
If you’re interested in additional information
on the Oregon blueberry industry, harvest, marketing
or blueberry nutrition, just give us a call. The
more you know about the benefits of Oregon blueberries,
the better you’ll like them.
Oregon Blueberries … it’s a
great story.
Bryan Ostlund
Oregon Blueberry Commission
P.O. Box 3366, Salem, Oregon 97302
503.364.2944 • e-mail: bryan@ostlund.com
www.oregonblueberry.com
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