CRANBERRY

Common Name: Cranberry
Botanical Name: Vaccinium oxycoccos
Specimens From: USA

Cranberries are grown in the wild throughout the cooler countries of the Northern Hemisphere. It is a major commercial fruit in the States and Canada and also popular in Northern Europe. It is considered as a 'must have' in every thanksgiving and winter holidays.

The name 'cran' is a shortened word for the bird species, crane. The early settlers felt that the plant looks similar to the long neck, head and bill of the crane.

These little berries are white when young but will turn dark red when it ripens. The inside flesh still remains white with tinges of red. There are several small seeds found inside but all are edible. Only those fresh cranberries bounce. Discard those that don't as they may have turned bad.

Cranberries are way too acidic to eat it raw, on its own. I would prefer to mix it with any other jams to sweeten it, instead of simply adding pure sugar.

Dried Cranberries


Most cranberries are processed into sauce, juice and dried, leaving only a smaller percentage for the fresh market. It is considered as a superfruit due to the high nutrient and antioxidant content.


Cranberry; Cranberries; Vaccinium oxycoccos; Ericaceae


Other fruit in the same family: Blueberry


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BLUEBERRY

Common Name: Blueberry
Botanical Name: Vaccinium cyanococcus
Specimens From: USA

Blueberries, native to North America, Northern Europe and East Asia. There are several types but the berries itself do look alike other than their growing habitats. It seems that most people like this popular fruit and I am no exception. As you can see, there are several minute seeds inside but this fruit can be eaten whole. Another fruit, the bilberry, looks almost identical but comes with purple flesh instead.

It will win hands down as one of the easiest fruit to eat. No cutting, no peeling, no need to spit out seeds, no need to pull out from the brunch (as in grapes). And finally, it is small enough that you can pop it into your mouth and you won't miss it. It tastes great, sweet with only slight acidic at times but not much of a juice.

With its great nutrition benefits, this small but powerful blue fruit is considered as one of the top ranking, in nutritious fruits. Blueberries is one of the richest sources of healthful antioxidants and other so-called phytochemicals (to improve memory). So, the more reasons you need to eat it. I found my fruit, on blueberry hill.


Blueberry Juice

If you prefer to drink it, you may make your own blueberry juice but you will need alot of berries just to make one glass! But it is all worth it as the taste is wonderful. Anyway, pure blueberry juice does not looks blue but is reddish-purple instead!


Fruit: Blueberries; Vaccinium cyanococcus; Ericaceae.


Other fruit in the same family: Cranberries


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