Text size: a a a a

FOOD FACTS

Fruits

Cranberries

Cranberries

  1. Availability:
  2. J
  3. F
  4. M
  5. A
  6. M
  7. J
  8. J
  9. A
  10. S
  11. O
  12. N
  13. D

Introduction

Ontario has only three commercial plantings or bogs: the Johnston Cranberry Marsh near Bala, Iroquois Cranberry Growers on the Wahta Mohawk Territory, south of MacTier and Upper Canada Cranberries, south end of Ottawa.


Varieties

Wahta Mohawk Territory bog - Stevens, Pilgrims, 35's and Ben Lear; Bala bog - Searles and Pilgrims.


Nutrition

Cranberries are a source of Vitamin C. One cup (250 mL) contains 46 calories.


History

Native to North America, cranberries were eaten raw by aboriginal peoples before the Europeans arrived. The natives also boiled them, sweetened with maple syrup, and added them to pemmican, the dried food made of meat and berries.

Cranberries were the first fruit of the New World to be available commercially in Europe, beginning in the 1700's when "Cape Cod bell cranberries" were sold in London, England.

The fruit was first grown commercially in Canada on the East coast and in Newfoundland. Later, large plantings were started in British Columbia.