North America's earliest inhabitants were first to use the tiny berries, both fresh and dried, for their flavor, nutrition and healing qualities. In fact, they believed the Wild Blueberry had magical powers. Atop each Wild Blueberry is the base of its earlier flower, a calyx in the shape of a five-point star. Legend has it that during a time of starvation, the Great Spirit sent these star berries down from the heavens to relieve the hunger of his children. These early inhabitants were the first to burn their Wild Blueberry barrens to encourage the growth of new bushes.

PORTLAND, Maine (March 9, 2005) — According to Health Magazine, Wild Blueberries are a “Power Food” ranking as the top fruit on the March “Hot List” of foods with high antioxidant capacity.

Health’s “Hot List” is comprised of foods that ranked highest in a recent study conducted by USDA’s Dr. Ronald Prior, analyzing antioxidant capacity of commonly available fruits and vegetables. According to the research, Wild Blueberries are highest in antioxidant capacity per serving, compared with more than 20 other fruits. (Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 52:4026-4037, 2004.) The study showed that a one-cup serving of Wild Blueberries had higher antioxidant capacity than a serving of other popular fruits such as cranberries, strawberries, prunes, raspberries, and even cultivated blueberries. The recent USDA work represents the most comprehensive study of antioxidant capacity using the most advanced technology in this area, known as the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) measure.