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NEWS
2008
Blueberry Pre-Harvest Update
Healthy and Delicious – There’s No Slowing Oregon’s
Super Berry
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 up more than
25 percent in a single year. Oregon’s blueberry harvest
reached a new record with a harvest of 44.7 million pounds
harvested, up from the previous year’s record harvest
of 35.4 million pounds. With such large production numbers,
Oregon remains one of the top producing states in the nation.
If favorable weather conditions continue this year, the
2008 harvest could easily result in harvest numbers that
are again off the charts.
Fresh Oregon blueberries are a hot commodity these days
for a lot of reasons with incredible taste, the highest
quality and peerless 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 of
Tufts University.
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
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