That is someone who goes to the first blueberry bush they see and yanks off a handful of berries without regard to whether they are all ripe or not.

I grew up canoeing in the wilds of Maine and Quebec every summer, and developed an early addiction to wild blueberries. We would paddle from island to island where high-bush berries hung heavy from rock outcroppings in the cold massive lakes. I swear they were bigger than I’ve seen since, and I still dream of effortlessly running my hand through the leaves and coming out with a handful of plump berries.

The term “superfood” is used to describe foods that are particularly nutrient-dense and believed to provide health benefits beyond their basic nutritional content. Superfoods have exceptional health-promoting properties due to their high levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, or other beneficial compounds. Because blueberries are low in calories but high in nutrients. Although the nutrient content of regular blueberries and wild blueberries varies a bit, they’re both tasty, nutritious, and a healthy addition to your diet.

Blueberries, those small, sweet, and slightly tangy orbs of goodness, have captured the hearts and taste buds of people worldwide. Over the years, we’ve gotten a lot of questions about blueberries, so we thought we’d pull together a guide to answer some of the most popular questions. Here’s everything you need to know about blueberries, from their seasonality and storage to their acidity, their tiny seeds, and even whether your furry friends can savor them. Enjoy!

Blueberries have long been celebrated for their delightful taste. But what’s even more remarkable is their potential to boost brain health. That’s right, it turns out blueberries are powerhouses of nutrition that can benefit your cognitive function, memory, and overall brain well-being. Read on to explore the connection between blueberries and the brain—all backed by science.

BLUEBERRIES AND METABOLIC HEALTH: A DYNAMIC DUO The favorable effects of blueberries on metabolic health have been extensively studied and documented across diverse population groups. Whether you have metabolic syndrome, are at risk for hypertension, struggle with obesity, or are simply striving to maintain overall health, blueberries offer a versatile and delicious way to promote whole-body wellness. 

Black raspberries vs blackberries — how do they compare? What’s the difference between blackberries and black raspberries? Or the similarity? What about all of the other blackberry lookalikes? Who’s who? Sorting through the (sometimes very slight) differences among these members of the Rubus genus requires a little patience and a few botanical definitions. To begin with…

Prized by initiated berry lovers and discerning wild food foragers, Japanese Wineberries (Rubus phoenicolasius) are native to China and Japan, but their unique beauty has graced formal British gardens for centuries. Although the historical introduction of Wineberries to North America is not definitive, most likely they were planted in early European settlements in the Northeast, where in some areas, they are regarded as invasive plants. Left to their own devices, Wineberries can form a dense thicket, but when properly pruned and maintained, Wineberries make a beautiful and delicious statement plant for the all-season home garden. Graceful arched canes are especially beautiful in winter gardens.

As a child, I recall harvesting blackberries with my sisters and cousins along an abandoned railroad track. We had a few scary moments when we unsettled snakes. (In reality those snakes were probably moving as fast as possible, trying to get away from all of our noise and feet.) And we would return home with scratches all over our arms and hands, but with buckets full of juicy berries for mom to make into jelly and delicious cobblers.

The best characteristics of a dozen species of native Rubus species are represented in modern blackberry varieties. Dependable and easy to grow in Zones 6 to 9, several new primocane blackberries (which bear on new canes in late summer) produce good crops in Zone 5. Among the most nutritious food crops you can grow, blackberry plants begin bearing a year after planting, and continue to produce for many years with minimal care.