Berries

One of the nation’s most well liked fruits; berries have origins in both Europe and here in the United States. The Native Americans were the first to incorporate berries into their diets and lifestyle. Today, berries are appreciated worldwide.

Berries signify summer and rightfully so, as the warmer months are the peak harvest for these fruits. Berries have traditionally included blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. However, there are other varieties that have since flooded the markets.

Many berries are suitable to eat raw and most types vary from 50 to 100 calories per serving if eaten raw. Berries are brimming with vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.

Varieties

There are many types of berries from smooth-skinned varieties like blueberries, to berries that have fleshy segments like raspberries and blackberries. Strawberries are not considered a ‘true’ berry, as they do not grow from a flower ovary but from the base of the plant.

Blackberries have a similar appearance to raspberries, but they are larger, hardier, and have a dark purple to black color. In general for this berry, the more intense color, the more sweet the fruit. There are blackberry hybrids that include boysenberries, loganberries, and ollalieberries, which are all, tart tasting and primarily used in jams and pies. Blackberry peak season is June and July with harvesting beginning in May and ending in September.

Wild blueberries are smaller in size compared to their cultivated cousins. Blueberries have a protective light powdery coating on the skins and tend to last longer than other berry varieties. Nearly half of the cultivated blueberries grown are sold as fresh blueberries. Fresh blueberries are available for nearly eight months of the year from producers across the United States and Canada. North America is the world's leading blueberry producer, accounting for nearly 90% of world production at the present time. The North American harvest runs from mid-April through early October, with peak harvest in mid-May—August

Currants are berries that look similar to grapes but are very tart. Because of their tartness, they are primarily used for jams and jellies. Red and white currants are grown domestically while the black currants are grown in Europe. Fresh currants are available July through August.

The most delicate of the berry family, raspberries have a similar structure to blackberries but have a hollow core. Therefore, this fruit requires delicate handling during preparation. Red raspberries are the most common type but there are also golden, amber, and purple berries all similar in taste and texture. Imported raspberries are from Chile, while most of the fruit comes from California. Raspberry season begins in June and lasts through October.

Perhaps the most popular of all the berries, strawberries have the most vitamin C of the berry family. Strawberries have been known since the time of the Greeks and Romans and cultivation of strawberries began in 1624. Commercial growing in America began about 1800 on the east coast of the United States. Strawberries moved west with the pioneers and now there are more than seventy varieties of strawberries, many of which are grown in California and Florida. This familiar fruit is usually available fresh year round with a peak from April to July.