A dewberry is a relative of the blackberry that grows throughout the the country, particularly in New England and the South. They get their name from the fact that the berries are often seen covered in dew in the early mornings. Unlike other berries, the dark dewberries, which can be nearly black when ripe, reflect the color of the sky when they are covered with dew, making it noteworthy enough to generate the name. The New England berries are relatively common, but the Southern berries are less frequently seen because they grow only in the wild and are too fragile to ship. Actually, it would be more correct to say that they are rarely eaten and often seen, since they grown like weeds along fence lines and in vacant lots. The berries themselves are difficult to harvest. They grow on thorny vines, which for dense nests as though to protect the berries. Unfortunately for berry lovers, they taste good. Very good.
Going back generations, people in areas where dewberries grow, especially in Texas, have headed out to harvest them annually, just as their parents and grandparents did. They don’t do this to make a profit from selling the berries, though. They do it because nothing beats the smell of a fresh dewberry cobbler coming out of the oven. There is even a dewberry festival, which took place this past weekend in Cameron, Texas. If you can’t pick your own, the farmer’s market is a better place to look for them than the supermarket, but once you get some, try making a cobbler, or just serve with fresh, whipped cream.
The dewberries are a group of species in the genus Rubus, section Rubus, closely related to the blackberries. They are small trailing (rather than upright or high-arching) brambles with berries reminiscent of the raspberry, but are usually purple to black instead of red. Unlike many other Rubus species, dewberries have separate male and female plants (they are dioecious) (Burbank, methods and applications 3, AD 1914).[citation needed]
Dewberries are common throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere, sometimes thought of as a nuisance weed, but the leaves can be used for a tea, and the berries are sweet and edible. They can be eaten raw, or used to make cobbler, jam, or pie.
Around March and April, the plants start to grow white flowers that develop into small green berries. The tiny green berries grow red and then a deep purple-blue as they ripen. When the berries are ripe, they are tender and difficult to pick in any quantity without squashing them. The plants do not have upright canes like some other Rubus species, but have stems that trail along the ground, putting forth new roots along the length of the stem. The stems are covered with fine spines or stickers. The berries are sweet and, for many, less seedy than blackberries and worth the scratches and stains that come from picking them.
In the winter the leaves often remain on the stems, but may turn dark red. The leaves are sometimes eaten by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including peach blossom moths.
The European dewberry, Rubus caesius, grows more upright like other brambles, but is frequently restricted to coastal communities, especially sand dune systems. Its fruits are a deep, almost black, purple and are coated with a thin layer or 'dew' of waxy droplets. Thus, they appear sky-blue (caesius is Latin for pale blue). It is less sought after, because its fruits are small and retain a markedly tart taste even when fully ripe.
The dewberries (Rubus sect. Eubatus) are a group of species closely related to the blackberries. They are small brambles with berries reminiscent of the raspberry, but are usually purple to black instead of red. Dewberry, a trailing shrub closely related to the blackberry. It is characterized by canes, or prickly stems, that trail along the ground. The dewberry is native to North America and grows in nearly every part of the United States.
The dewberry vine is slender and generally hugs the ground as it grows, shooting out tendrils in several directions. The leaves are shiny and leathery and have blunt-toothed edges.
The flowers are white. The fruit, which is edible, is dark reddish-black and is larger than that of the common blackberry. Dewberries belong to the rose family, Rosaceae. The American dewberry, the most common species, is Rubus flagellaris.
It may be difficult to distinguish dewberry and blackberry when looking at a single leaf. However, the overall plant appearance and growth habits of these two species are quite different. Dewberry has a low, vine-like growth habit and will rarely reach greater than 2 feet in height. Blackberry has a very upright growth pattern and will commonly reach 3 to 6 feet in height. Dewberry commonly has slender thorns with red hairs on the stem while blackberry has hard, tough thorns and no hairs. Additionally, the seeds in dewberry fruit are much larger and tougher than those in blackberry.
DewberriesDewberries are common throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere, sometimes thought of as a nuisance weed, but the leaves can be used for a tea, and the berries are sweet and edible. They can be eaten raw, or used to make cobbler or jam.
Around March and April, the plants start to grow white flowers that develop into small green berries. The tiny green berries grow red and then a deep purple-blue as they ripen.
When the berries are ripe, they are tender and difficult to pick in any quantity without squashing them. The plants do not have upright canes like some other Rubus species, but have stems that trail along the ground, putting forth new roots along the length of the stem. The stems are covered with fine spines or stickers. The berries are sweet and, for many, are worth the scratches and stains that come from picking them. In the winter the leaves often remain on the stems, but may turn dark red.
The leaves are sometimes eaten by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including peach blossom moths. The European dewberry, Rubus caesius, grows more upright like other brambles, but is frequently restricted to coastal communities, especially sand dune systems. Its fruits are a deep, almost black, purple and are coated with a thin layer or 'dew' of waxy droplets. Thus, they appear sky-blue (caesius is Latin for pale blue). It is less sought after, because its fruits are small and retain a markedly tart taste even when fully ripe.
Advantage of Dewberry
Dewberries are high in antioxidants as well as vitamins A & C. They are low in calories. They
contain trace amounts of vitamin E, Vitamin K, copper, zinc & magnesium.
Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant in dewberries and one cup contains half of the daily recommendation of vitamin C. The body uses vitamin C for protection from immune system deficiencies, and may reduce the chances of macular degeneration, a condition in which fine vision deteriorates, resulting in central vision loss and is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50.
Anthocyanins, which give dewkberries their dark color, are an antioxidant shown to reduce inflammation. As an antioxidant, they destroy free radicals in the body that harm cells and lead to cancer. Research has also shown that the ellagic acid in dewberries may have anti-cancer properties. One cup of dewkberries contains half of the daily recommendation of the antioxidant vitamin C, which protects the immune system and may lower the risk of developing certain types of cancer.
Disadvantage of Dewberry
If you have an allergy to aspirin, you may react to eating blackberries, as they contain a naturally occurring version of this chemical. Other foods containing naturally occurring salicylates include almonds, tomatoes, cherries, grapes, raspberries and oranges. Salicylate sensitivity may trigger sinusitis, stomach aches or eczema.
Changes in Urine
The deep purple color of blackberries, as with other richly pigmented food, is an indication of the presence of phytochemicals called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins create the red and purple pigments in peppers, eggplants and blueberries, as well as blackberries. If you eat blackberries, this might lead tough to pink, red or smoky brown urine, notes MedLine Plus. This change of urine color might not be definitively caused by eating blackberries, as it can also be the side effect of medication or because of eating beets or food colorings.
Glycemic Index
Deep-colored berries such as the blackberry have a low glycemic index, estimated at around 32. This makes them a good choice for blood sugar regulation under normal circumstances. Athletes in endurance sports looking to fuel the muscles before an important game or race may not find blackberries the best choice, as higher glycemic foods such as rice and breads provide the needed muscle glycogen.
Deep-colored berries such as the blackberry have a low glycemic index, estimated at around 32. This makes them a good choice for blood sugar regulation under normal circumstances. Athletes in endurance sports looking to fuel the muscles before an important game or race may not find blackberries the best choice, as higher glycemic foods such as rice and breads provide the needed muscle glycogen.
After Oral Surgery
If you have an accident or surgery that leads to having your jaws wired together, you face a recovery time that might stretch six to eight weeks. During this stretch, you eat table foods blended to a consistency that you can consume via a straw. Fruits such as blackberries and strawberries have tiny seeds that can catch in your teeth, so these needed to be avoided during this time, notes the Oral Facial Surgery Center, a facility based in Oklahoma City. The many seeds in these fruits actually provide a source of fiber, useful to those in good oral health.
If you have an accident or surgery that leads to having your jaws wired together, you face a recovery time that might stretch six to eight weeks. During this stretch, you eat table foods blended to a consistency that you can consume via a straw. Fruits such as blackberries and strawberries have tiny seeds that can catch in your teeth, so these needed to be avoided during this time, notes the Oral Facial Surgery Center, a facility based in Oklahoma City. The many seeds in these fruits actually provide a source of fiber, useful to those in good oral health.
Storage Effects
Anthrocyanins in blackberries peak when they are fresh. Researchers at the Department of Food Science at the University of Arkansas looked at how processing and six months of storage affected frozen, canned and juiced blackberries. The berries lost a proportion of their antioxidant capacity during processing unless they were individually quick frozen, they found.
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