Blueberries provide a wide array of health benefits.
Oranges are a great source of vitamin C, and bananas have plenty of potassium. But did you know that blueberries are chock-full of nutrients and can boost your health?
“Blueberries are a great choice because there’s so much benefit that comes from eating such a small amount,” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietitian with the department of wellness and preventive medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. “Putting a handful on your cereal may not seem like such a big deal, but the benefits to your body are a big deal. Blueberries are small but mighty.”
What makes blueberries so good for you?
For starters, blueberries are a nutrient-dense fruit, says Kristine Dilley, a registered dietitian with the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
“They’re excellent sources of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and antioxidants,” she explains.
Antioxidants, for example, help protect your body from free radicals — substances that can cause cell damage — and blueberries are especially high in antioxidants, Dilley says.
Here, we’ll look at some of the specific ways these colorful berries can help support good health.
Cancer prevention
For being such a small fruit, blueberries offer big benefits when it comes to reducing the risk of cancer.
Blueberries contain high levels of powerful compounds called phytochemicals, which occur naturally in plants and give them their color, aroma and flavor.
Phytochemicals also have a number of benefits. They can stimulate the immune system and protect cells from chronic inflammation, which can otherwise cause damage to cells. They can also slow the growth rate of cancer cells and trigger any damaged cells to destroy themselves before they can reproduce. Some phytochemicals can act as antioxidants in the body as well.
Carolyn Dowling, a registered dietitian with the Orlando Health Center for Health Improvement in Florida, adds that the bright purples, reds and blues found in various berries come from a particular antioxidant called anthocyanins.
“Berries have the highest level of anthocyanins known to exist in plant foods. Of their various phytochemicals (biologically active plant compounds), anthocyanins are likely responsible for the blueberry’s ability to positively impact our health,” she explains.
The fiber in blueberries can also help protect your intestinal lining from colorectal cancer, she adds.
Heart health
Because blueberries are high in fiber and contain antioxidants, eating the fruit promotes heart health, Kirkpatrick says.
Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2019, for instance, suggests that eating 1 cup of blueberries daily can reduce the risk of heart disease by 12% to 15%.
“If you really want to help your heart, just add two handfuls of blueberries a day to your eating regimen,” Kirkpatrick says.
Cognitive performance
Eating blueberries can help also delay and mitigate cognitive decline, according to some studies.One 2022 study published in Nutrients, for instance, suggests that blueberry supplementation in midlife can reduce the risk of dementia. Another study published in Nutritional Neuroscience in 2022 found that a six-month intervention with wild blueberries improved processing speeds in adults with mild cognitive decline.
The key seems to be the anti-inflammatory propertiesof blueberries that boost brain power, even in folks with mild cognitive impairment.
“I tell my patients that blueberries are a great choice if you want to improve your overall brain health,” Kirkpatrick says.
Weight control
Eating blueberries and other fruits is a great way to control your weight, says Lise Gloede, a registered dietitian and founder of Nutrition Coaching LLC in Northern Virginia. At just 84 calories per cup and packed with fiber, blueberries can help you feel satiated, Gloede says.
The calories in blueberries come primarily from carbohydrates. There are 20 grams of carbs in 1 cup, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture,and approximately 15 grams of natural sugars and 3.6 grams of dietary fiber in that same amount. All that fiber can help you feel full faster and stay full longer, which can help support weight loss efforts.
Gut microbiome health
Research suggests that maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is important in reducing inflammation and disease. Eating blueberries can help boost your microbiome, says Cara Marrs, a functional registered dietitian nutritionist based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Everyone has a gut microbiome, a collection of about 100 trillion bacterial cells, located mostly in the gastrointestinal tract. Blueberries are a prebiotic, a type of dietary fiber that fuels the beneficial bacteria in your gut, Marrs notes.
“High-fiber fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds are all great sources of prebiotics, and blueberries are a great choice,” she explains. “Research has shown that blueberries can enhance the gut microbiome by enhancing the growth of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, two beneficial gut bacteria.”
Happy bowels
Most men need at least 30 grams of fiber a day to keep their digestive systems working; women need at least 20 grams. Because one cup of blueberries contains about 3.6 grams of fiber, consuming this fruit helps keep your system moving efficiently, Gloede says.
Blueberries have plenty of soluble fiber, which absorbs water and adds bulk to your stool, helping to prevent diarrhea.
“You can trust your gut on berries,” Gloede says.
Whole body health
Blueberries provide many nutrients to keep your whole body strong, including:
— Vitamin C, which is important for healing and immune function. Vitamin C also plays a vital role in making collagen for skin and bones. The National Institutes of Health recommends that adult men consume 90 milligrams of vitamin C daily. Women should consume 75 milligrams. A cup of blueberries contains 14.4 milligrams of vitamin C.
— Vitamin K, which helps keep your bones strong and supports normal blood clotting. The NIH recommends that adult men consume 120 micrograms of vitamin K per day, while adult women are advised to consume 90 micrograms daily. A cup of blueberries contains about 29 micrograms of vitamin K.
— Manganese,which supports a healthy metabolism. The NIH recommends that adult men consume 2.3 milligrams of manganese per day, and women should take in 1.8 milligrams daily. A cup of blueberries contains approximately 0.5 milligrams of manganese.
Dietitians generally agree that getting the vitamins and minerals you need from food instead of supplements is best. Because blueberries are such a good source of many of these vital nutrients, they’re a smart inclusion in your overall diet.
How to add more blueberries to your diet
Given how fabulous blueberries are, you should strive to eat some every day. Dilley notes that 1 cup is a good serving size, considering adults should eat about 1.5 to 2.5 cups of fruit daily.
If you’re using dried fruit, ¼ cup counts as a serving. Dowling also recommends making sure to choose “a variety of fruits to get the full spectrum of nutrients that the various colors provide.”
Blueberries are easy to incorporate into a healthy eating regimen. You can put them in cereal, on top of plain yogurt, in oatmeal or just eat them plain. Because they’re naturally sweet, they’re a much better option than grabbing something that has added sugar, Kirkpatrick says.
Karen Chan, a health educator and registered dietitian with L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest publicly operated health plan in the U.S., notes that “while blueberries are best enjoyed fresh, they freeze well and retain most of the nutritional values, so they are accessible all year-round.” The peak season for blueberries in North America is between June and August.
Dilley notes that freeze-dried blueberries can also work because this method preserves much of the antioxidant content of the fruit.
“However,” she adds, “conventional dehydration and juicing can lead to significant losses of anthocyanin content.”
Likewise, jams, jellies and other shelf-stable products that contain blueberries tend to lose a lot of their anthocyanin content over time, so you’re better off sticking with fresh, frozen and freeze-dried berries.
Top ways blueberries are good for your health
— Cancer prevention.
— Heart health.
— Cognitive performance.
— Weight control.
— Gut microbiome health.
— Happy bowels.
— Whole body health.
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Proven Health Benefits of Blueberries originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 09/28/23: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
