Homes and Property | Home PageBlueberry factsRobin Yapp|Science Reporter|Daily Mail13 April 2012 Blueberries topped a table of 40 health-giving fruit and vegetables produced by the U. S . Department of Agriculture because of their high antioxidant content. Around 200million lbs of the fruit is grown in the U.S. and Canada each year - enough to cover three motorway lanes all the way from Land's End to John O'Groats. Blueberries are related to the bilberry and the Scottish blaeberry. The plants live for up to 60 years. In Japan it is said that blueberries provide a cure for tired eyes. Britain consumes nearly 10million lbs a year, imported mainly from France, Poland, the U.S., South America and South Africa. Though a relatively new fruit to Britain, the blueberry is now grown commercially in this country. The fruit's juice is mixed with milk and used to paint houses blue by the religious group the Shakers in the U.S. The first published recipe for America's now ubiquitous blueberry muffin appeared i n Fannie Farmer's Boston Cooking School Cook Book of 1905. MORE ABOUTCooking BookFruitGrapes (fruit)Orange (fruit)Pear (fruit)Recipes