What Happens if I Eat Blueberries Every Day?

Blueberries are small, round, bluish-purple fruits or berries. Eating blueberries daily helps reduce chronic disease risk, improve cholesterol levels and heart health, lower high blood pressure, and provide other benefits.

Blueberries are juicy, sweet, and tart, almost seedless fruits. They are popular due to their characteristics and are grown in North and South America, Mexico, Canada, and other parts of the world, with similar varieties in Eurasia. Blueberries are harvested from April to September in America.

Blueberries can be eaten fresh or dried. They are packed with nutrients and make for a delicious, healthy snack.

Here’s more about the nutritional value and health benefits of blueberries, and how to incorporate them into your diet.

One cup or 148 grams of blueberries contains:

• 84.4 calories
• 1.1 grams of protein
• 0.488 grams of fat
• 21.5 grams of carbohydrates
• 3.55 grams of fiber
• 14.7 grams of sugar
• 8.8 milligrams of calcium
• 8.8 milligrams of magnesium
• 17.8 milligrams of phosphorus
• 114 milligrams of potassium
• 14.4 grams of vitamin C

Blueberries also contain vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin E, vitamin K, manganese, folate, and choline. The rich, bluish-purple color of blueberries is due to high levels of anthocyanin pigments, which are antioxidants that give blueberries their blue color.

What are the health benefits of blueberries?

Blueberries have been used in food and medicine for over 13,000 years. Native Americans traditionally used blueberries in medicines and for natural flavoring.

Blueberries are considered a superfood due to their fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They have very little fat and no cholesterol. Additionally, blueberries contain more antioxidants than cranberries or strawberries.

They offer several health benefits, including:

Protecting against chronic diseases: Blueberries are rich in antioxidants called flavonoids or anthocyanins. These antioxidants protect the body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals and have anti-inflammatory properties, helping to lower the risk of chronic diseases such as heart problems, obesity, diabetes, and cancer.

Improving cholesterol levels and heart health: Eating one cup of blueberries daily can improve good cholesterol levels, reduce bad cholesterol levels, and prevent cholesterol oxidation and inflammation. This can lower the risk of heart problems by 12% to 15% in individuals with metabolic syndrome.

Lowering high blood pressure: Blueberries can reduce blood pressure and improve blood vessel health, especially in postmenopausal women. This effect is attributed to the regulation of nitric oxide in cells by blueberry antioxidants.

Regulating blood sugar levels and controlling diabetes and obesity: Blueberries improve insulin sensitivity, help reduce and manage blood sugar levels, prevent obesity, and promote weight control due to their low glycemic index and high fiber content.

Promoting gut health: Blueberries are high in fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, and supports the growth of beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacteria.

Preventing cancer growth: Blueberries may lower the risk of developing certain cancers, including mouth, stomach, and colorectal cancers. Their antioxidants and fiber help control weight and fat accumulation, which are risk factors for cancer. Flavonoids in blueberry extracts protect cells and DNA from damage that can lead to cancer growth.

Improving memory and brain function: Anthocyanins in blueberries protect brain cells, enhance brain function, and improve memory. They may also reduce depression and slow down brain cell degeneration in older individuals.

Maintaining healthy bones: Blueberries contain nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin K, which promote bone health and prevent bone loss.

How can you include blueberries in your diet?

Blueberries are easily available in various forms such as fresh, dried, freeze-dried, frozen, or canned. They can be added to drinks or desserts, and there are numerous ways to incorporate them into your diet:

• Make a blueberry smoothie or milkshake
• Prepare blueberry jam or compote
• Add them to a fruit salad
• Create blueberry ice cream
• Use them as a topping on cereal, yogurt, or a salad
• Bake a blueberry pie
• Incorporate them into fruit crumbles, pancakes, muffins, or other desserts

Alternatively, you can enjoy a cup of fresh or dried blueberries as a snack. Adding blueberries to your diet can bring a burst of flavor and beneficial nutrients.

REFERENCES

Advances in Nutrition: "Recent Research on the Health Benefits of Blueberries and Their Anthocyanins."

Agriculture Research Service: "Blueberries and Health."

American Institute for Cancer Research: "Blueberries: Increase Antioxidant Activity in the Blood."

Antioxidants: "Dietary Polyphenols, Berries, and Age-Related Bone Loss: A Review Based on Human, Animal, and Cell Studies."

International Journal of Molecular Sciences: "Molecular Mechanism and Health Role of Functional Ingredients in Blueberry for Chronic Disease in Human Beings."

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: "Six-Week Consumption of a Wild Blueberry Powder Drink Increases Bifidobacteria in the Human Gut."

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: "Daily blueberry consumption improves blood pressure and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women with pre- and stage 1-hypertension: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial."

Nutrition and Healthy Aging: "Acute effects of flavonoid-rich blueberry on cognitive and vascular function in healthy older adults."

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: "Blueberries improve biomarkers of cardiometabolic function in participants with metabolic syndrome—results from a 6-month, double-blind, randomized controlled trial."

USDA: "Blueberries, raw."

U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council: "About Blueberries," "History of Blueberries," "Nutrition Facts," "Seasonality," "Where Blueberries Grow."