Why I Won’t Be Eating Blueberries Without Doing the Viral “Float” Rule Again (It’s Brilliant!)

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If you’re a fan of blueberries, whether you enjoy a handful as a snack, mixing them into your yogurt parfait, or topping your peanut butter oatmeal, then you’re already aware that blueberries can vary greatly in taste. Some are sweeter and denser, while others can be watery or very tart. However, because blueberries all look the same, it can be hard to decipher which ones are the best tasting for your morning breakfast bowl. But don’t fear, there’s a trick on the internet that will solve your blueberry woes.

Posted by Roice Bethel of @noflakysalt on TikTok, this blueberry trick is rather simple. Dump your clamshell of fresh blueberries into a bowl of water, either cold or room temperature. Some of the blueberries will sink to the bottom, while others will float at the top. This is how you’ll decipher which blueberries you’ll want to eat.

If blueberries sink to the bottom, that means they are more dense and have a higher sugar content, meaning they will taste the best eaten fresh. These blueberries likely had more adequate sunlight compared to the others, and a proper amount of moisture and soil nutrition to help them to get that perfectly ripe sweet taste.

The blueberries floating at the top aren’t as dense and have less sugar, which means they won’t be as sweet. Instead of snacking on them as-is, these blueberries are best for anything you plan on cooking up in your kitchen, like homemade triple berry jam or blueberry muffins. You could even freeze the blueberries and toss them into a blender to make a blueberry-banana smoothie with cinnamon.

So next time you buy a clamshell of fresh blueberries at the store, wash the blueberries, then toss them into a bowl of water and separate the sweet ones at the bottom with the floating berries on top. Be sure to store the blueberries properly so they last as long as possible!