Are there no naturally blue foods?

Question

I've heard it claimed that there are no naturally blue foods and that blueberries don't count, because they are more purple. However, I have a hard time believing such a blanket statement so I want to ask this here.

If you count foods that are blue in nature, but not blue when prepared, is this statement false?

Are there no foods, in the state that we eat them, that are naturally blue?

In terms of a definition for food, it would be something that is not only edible, but is commonly eaten by any group of people. So, something that is edible, but not commonly eaten by any group of people would not be considered.

Blue is a light wave having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. Defined specifically by Wikipedia

Answer 1

Blåbär (Common Bilberry)

I come from a berry obsessed culture that every year consume a wide array of different berries. One of the most common ones that are native to my country is Vaccinium myrtillus more commonly called blåbär in Swedish which literally means blue berry. They aren't the same as the American blue berry (Vaccinium cyanococcus) that George Carlin most likely made fun of.

Blue Crawdads

Crawdads are sometimes blue, but they turn red on cooking. I'm not sure if that would count under your criteria, but people certainly find them appetizing enough to try to cook them.

Atlantic lobsters

Homarus Americanus are also blue until cooked.

Starflowers

Borago officinalis is sometimes eaten fresh and apparently has a cucumber-like taste. It grows in Asia and the middle east.

Indigo Milk Cap

Lactarius indigo, commonly known as the indigo milk cap, the indigo Lactarius, or the blue milk mushroom, is a species of agaric fungus in the family Russulaceae. [..] It is an edible mushroom, and is sold in rural markets in China, Guatemala, and Mexico.

Answer 2

One example of a blue food would be Prunus spinosa.

Here's a picture:

Here's a source that mentions word "blue" in description of the species: http://hedgerowmobile.com/blackthorn.html

Another would be Prunus domestica subspecies insititia

Image:

It is commonly eaten fresh, so the blue color remains. Unfortunately, I'm unable to find a source which actually describes blue as of of the colors of the subspecies.

Answer 3

I can't believe no one mentioned blue corn:

Answer 4

The place I would look to find a counter example would be edible blooms.

Some possibilities:

• Lavander (which is usual more purple, but some varieties are bluish)
• Blue nasturtium
• Snapdragons (a lot of color variation, but the image shows some that are quite blue to my eye)
• violets (again, usually more purple than blue, but they vary)

and some suggested in the comments:

• cornflowers
• Clitoria ternatea which user boehj writes as "ดอกอัญชัน", and appears to be called "butterfly pea" and a few other names in English.

Answer 5

A mushroom known as "blue cup fungi" may be edible, although it is more likely used in some herbal medicines. If it is edible, then it would certainly qualify as a "naturally blue food" but this is an important question for this mushroom -- is it edible? It looks nice:

Answer 6

Elaeocarpus grandis or the "Blue Marble Tree" is found in Australia. It is sometimes nicknamee "blue fig" although it is not a true fig. It also has a regional name of blue quandong. It is a fast-growing, large, spreading, distinctive, rainforest tree native to Australia. It bears edible fruits that look like blue marbles and taste a little like dates although they are slightly more bitter.

Answer 7

Oregon grapes or creeping mahonia or Mahonia aquifolium. Sour, but edible. In western North America. Usually to make jelly or pies or to flavor drinks. Description here and here