Blueberries are one of nature’s healthiest fruits. They’re packed with antioxidants. They reduce inflammation, fight oxidative stress, help mitigate disease, and more. They’re also a go-to for ‘brain power’ fuel and protecting the vessels of your heart. And when it comes to digestion, they rock. They’re a gut-healthy, high-fiber fruit.
Are blueberries good for you? Well the other day at the gym I was discussing that exact question with another member. We were doing reps on the machines and got to talking about smoothies, protein powders, and the best nootropics.
Well come to find out we both not only have wild blackberries growing on our land—they’re prolific in the Pacific Northwest—we’d also both planted tons of blueberry bushes on our properties at about the same time, and for the exact same reason.
Because like so many other folks who’ve discovered the amazing health benefits of blueberries, we’re avid fans.
What Are Blueberries (like precisely)?
Blueberries are native of North America and come from a flowering shrub that produces blue and purplish berries. They’re classified in the genus Vaccinium along with cranberries, bilberries, huckleberries, and Madeira blueberries.
They’re perennial and harvest from spring through late fall.
They grow primarily in the Northwest, California, Michigan, Georgia, and a handful of other states, but in the last few years they’ve been consistently ramping up.
Here are just a handful of reasons why:
1. Brain-Health and Cognition
Blueberries are known as a ‘brain food’ for their ability to produce neurogenesis, a process that forms new neurons in the hippocampus.
Studies have shown that flavonoids in blueberries called anthocyanins can cross the blood-brain barrier and boost cognition, memory, and cellular function.
They’re also packed with antioxidants, polyphenols, and tons of brain-boosting phytochemicals.
According to one report, “When adding just one daily cup of blueberries to the diets of older adults, researchers found improvements in their long-term memory and some other aspects of cognition. The cognitive improvements in the older adults were also correlated with blueberry consumption via advanced brain scan technology.“
And when it comes to children, they’re a win: “In children, researchers found that cognitive performance improved “across all measures,” and the more berries, the better. Importantly, the improvements were found within hours of just one meal with blueberries, not after 12 weeks of eating berries every day.”
Which certainly speaks to the benefits of eating them in smoothies, porridge, granola, and more.
Scientific American reports that “Emerging research suggests that compounds in blueberries known as flavonoids may improve memory, learning and general cognitive function, including reasoning skills, decision making, verbal comprehension and numerical ability.”
2. Heart-Health
In case you missed all the heart-shaped blueberry memes and slogans out there, the message is clear: Blueberries are great for your heart. They have an incredibly high concentration of antioxidants, including anthocyanins, a heavy lifter.
They also pack resveratrol, quercetin, phenols, and vitamin E. And that’s in addition to all the fiber and other heart-healthy constituents onboard.
For instance . . .
What Nutrients Do Blueberries Have?
Blueberries contain vitamins C, A, E, K, B6, B3, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, potassium, folate, and zinc. They also pack iron, choline, enzymes, amino acids, antioxidants, phytochemicals, polyphenols, and more.
Here’s a list:
Nutrients In Blueberries
- Antioxidants.
- Phytochemicals.
- Flavonoids.
- Polyphenols.
- Anthocyanins.
- Quercetin.
- Resveratrol.
- Calcium.
- Pectin.
- Folate.
- Choline.
- Beta-carotene.
- Amino acids.
- Magnesium.
- Manganese.
- Potassium.
- Phosphorous.
- Vitamin A.
- Vitamin C.
- Vitamin E.
- Vitamin K.
- Vitamin B6.
- Vitamin B3.
- Dietary fiber.
- Zinc.
- Iron.
According to one report, the polyphenol anthocyanins in blueberries “are associated with a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease. These observational findings are supported by a number of randomized-controlled trials showing improvements in biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk.”
Another study found that “women who eat three or more servings of blueberries and strawberries each week may lower their risk of having a heart attack.”
In addition, “researchers believe that the antioxidants in blueberries work to reduce the buildup of “bad” LDL cholesterol in artery walls that contributes to cardiovascular disease and stroke. Studies conducted at the USDA Human Nutrition Center have found that blueberries rank No. 1 in antioxidant activity when compared with 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables.”
3. Eye-Health
Blueberries are excellent for your vision because they boost collagen, mitigate glaucoma, and help protect the eyes from UV.
They also increase vascular efficiency and nourish arteries that supply oxygen to the retina.
According to one report by Johanna Seddon, M.D., an expert on macular degeneration, “These violet-hued gems [blueberries] are rich in anthocyanins, potent antioxidants that bolster collagen structure in the retina and provide extra vision protection.”
They also strengthen eyesight and help prevent eye fatigue.
4. Weight Loss
Blueberries are great for weight loss for a number of reasons including fiber, prebiotics, and anthocyanins.
According to one report, “Several studies confirmed that the consumption of anthocyanins-rich food [blueberries] improved obesity-associated dysbiosis in gut microbiota and inflammation in adipose tissue. Anthocyanin consumption prevents obesity in healthy subjects, and aids in maintaining or reducing the body weight of obese subjects, also improving the metabolism and energy balance.”
Another report credits anthocyanins for “inhibition of lipid absorption, increasing of energy expenditure, regulation of lipid metabolism, regulation of gut microbiota and controlling of food intake.”
Combined with a healthy vegan diet and exercise they’re clearly a win.
5. Digestion
Blueberries are great for digestion and the smooth regulation of the intestinal tract. They’re a high-fiber, probiotic, gut-healthy food.
According to Dr. Michael Greger, “Eating blueberries can so feed our good bacteria that eating them is like taking a natural probiotic, a win-win all around.”
They also perform double-duty when it comes to regularity.
So those are just a handful of reasons why you should eat a lot blueberries if you’re not already. And who can deny how tasty they are?
Here are a few recipes with blueberries and more:
Keep Reading (and start cooking):
Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat Blueberry Muffins
Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat Blueberry Bread
Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat Pancakes
Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat Porridge
The medical and health topics covered on the Plate of Grass website and blog have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to prevent or cure any disease. This article and its content is presented ‘as is’ for informational purposes only.
