What nutrients are in blueberries: Health Benefits, Nutrients per Serving, Preparation Information, and More
Health Benefits, Nutrients per Serving, Preparation Information, and More
Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors
Reviewed by Christine Mikstas, RD, LD on September 01, 2022
In this Article
- Health Benefits
- Nutrients per Serving
- How to Prepare Blueberries
from the WebMD Ingredients Guide
Serving Size 0.5 Cup (74 g)
Calories 42
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0 g
0%
Saturated Fat 0 g
0%
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
0%
Sodium 1 mg
0%
Potassium 0 mg
0%
Total Carbohydrate 11 g
4%
Dietary Fiber 2 g
7%
Sugar 7 g
Protein 1 g
2%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
- Vitamin C 8%
- Iron 0%
- Vitamin B6 0%
- Magnesium 0%
- Calcium 0%
- Vitamin D 0%
- Cobalamin 0%
- Vitamin A 1%
Blueberries are named for their color.
Because of their sweet and tart flavor and their nearly seedless nature, blueberries are a hugely popular fruit.
For centuries, people could only grow and harvest blueberries in small numbers. However, at the turn of the 20th century, they were domesticated and brought to the national market. Blueberries can now be eaten all year long as healthy, nutritious treats.
Blueberries contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that provide notable health benefits. For example, blueberries are rich in vitamin K, which plays an important role in promoting heart health. The vitamin is also important to bone health and blood clotting.
Other health benefits of blueberries include:
Higher antioxidant levels
Blueberries are one of the best natural sources of antioxidants. While antioxidants aren’t necessary for your body to function, they help protect your body from damage by free radicals. Your cells produce free radicals as waste products, but these particles can go on to hurt other cells.
Eating blueberries regularly for just two weeks can help reduce damage to your cells by as much as 20%.
Better cholesterol levels
High cholesterol is dangerous for your heart because it can build up in your arteries. The cholesterol that builds up eventually gets oxidized, and this damages your body if it happens in large amounts. Antioxidants in blueberries help prevent cholesterol in your blood from being oxidized and may even help keep cholesterol from building up in the first place.
Manage high blood pressure
Eating blueberries regularly can help reduce high blood pressure in people with metabolic syndrome and protect cardiovascular health. The current hypothesis is that blueberries help the body produce more nitric oxide, which reduces blood pressure inside blood vessels and helps with smooth muscle relaxation.
Control diabetes
Blueberries can help people with diabetes better manage their blood sugar levels./blueberries_annotations-5c4255d1c9e77c000119b310.jpg)
Studies have shown that eating blueberries regularly can help improve insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes. Blueberries can also help reduce fasting blood sugar levels by nearly a third in people with type 2 diabetes, helping them to manage their blood sugar levels more effectively.
A half-cup serving of blueberries contains:
- Calories: 42
- Protein: 1 gram
- Fat: Less than 1 gram
- Carbohydrates: 11 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Sugar: 7 grams
Blueberries contain dietary fiber, which helps your digestive system run smoothly. The fruit is also an excellent source of:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin A
- Manganese
- Antioxidants
Blueberries contain a significant amount of anthocyanin pigments. Anthocyanins are responsible for blueberry juice’s rich purple color and have shown promise in helping to reduce signs of aging, risk of cancer, and damage to DNA. Blueberries also appear to have the highest levels of antioxidants out of any common fruit or vegetable.
Blueberries are native to temperate parts of North America. They are traditionally in season from April to September in the US, but are sold year-round as imports from South America. These tasty berries can be found in supermarkets, health food stores, and farmers’ markets around the country.
Blueberries bring a mild, sweet flavor that’s perfect for baked goods and desserts. You can also enjoy raw blueberries by themselves as simple healthy snacks. Blueberries last longer if they’re refrigerated or frozen, and they can be added in fresh or frozen form to most recipes with similar results.
Here are some suggestions for how to add blueberries to your daily diet:
- Eat blueberries raw as a snack.
- Bake a blueberry pie.
- Add blueberries to smoothies.
- Make blueberry juice.
- Include blueberries in pancakes.
- Dry blueberries for a raisin-like treat.
- Make a blueberry gazpacho.
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The nutritional power of blueberries
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Often labeled a “superfood,” the blueberry is bursting with nutrients, many of which are classified as antioxidants and phytochemicals.
Much of the power of blueberries lies in their colors. The deep-blue hue comes from anthocyanin, a phytochemical whose abilities may help protect the body from heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, offering cancer-fighting benefits, promote gut health and reduce inflammation. Research also suggests regularly eating blueberries may improve memory and delay age-related cognitive decline.
A one-cup serving of blueberries contains 25% of the recommended daily value for vitamin C and 4 grams of dietary fiber, but only 80 calories. Plus, blueberries are juicy fruits, which means they contain mostly water. That high water content makes them great for weight loss or maintenance because they fill you up quickly without a lot of calories.
Whether you’re eating blueberries for the health benefits, because you like the taste or both, blueberries are a versatile option for every day. Eat them plain, sprinkle them on hot or cold cereal or yogurt, or stir them into baked goods for added sweetness and nutrition.
You can easily substitute frozen berries for fresh.
During summer months, take advantage of blueberries when they’re plentiful and on sale by purchasing in large quantities and freezing them. Store fresh blueberries in the refrigerator and wash before serving. To freeze, wash and dry the berries, lay them on a pan and freeze until they’re solid. Pack the berries in freezer-safe storage bags.
This easy cobbler makes the most of fresh blueberries when they’re in season, but frozen berries will give you the taste of summer throughout the winter:
Apple-blueberry Cobbler
Servings: 8
Cobbler
2 large apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces fresh or frozen blueberries
Topping
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold margarine, cut into pieces
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat the oven to 400 F.
Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, sprinkle the apples with lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Add the mixture to the apples and toss gently to mix. Stir in the blueberries. Spread the apple-blueberry mixture evenly in the baking dish. Set aside.
In another large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a fork, cut the cold margarine into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk and vanilla. Stir just until a moist dough forms. Turn the dough onto a generously floured work surface and, with floured hands, knead gently six to eight times until the dough is smooth and manageable. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle 1/2-inch thick. Use a cookie cutter or knife to cut out shapes. Gather the scraps and roll out to make more shapes.
Place the dough shapes over the apple-blueberry mixture until the top is covered. Bake until the apples are tender and the topping is golden, about 30 minutes.
Serve warm.
Nutrition per 1/8 of cobbler: Calories, 222; total fat, 6 grams; saturated fat,1 gram; monosaturated fat, 2 grams; cholesterol, trace; sodium, 202 milligrams; total carbohydrates, 38 grams; dietary fiber, 4 grams; added sugars, 6 grams; protein, 4 grams.
Allie Wergin is a registered dietitian nutritionist in New Prague, Minnesota.
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The history of the appearance of blueberries in nutrition
Blueberries are a shrub from the lingonberry family. Berries ripen from mid-summer. Blueberries are common in coniferous-deciduous forests on moist soil. It grows mainly in the European part of Russia, in Siberia and Karelia.
Traditionally, this berry is considered Russian. Blueberries occupy vast territories, serve as an important honey plant for bees. The Russian name for blueberries comes from the word “blacken” – to paint hands and mouth with juice. The Latin name takes its roots from the word “cow”, because the leaves of this plant were used to feed cattle.
Blueberries contain a bright coloring substance that is an indicator of acidity – when it decreases, the color changes to blue. This dye is used when branding meat, dyeing wool and canvases.
The Blueberry Festival is held annually in the Perm Territory. In 2012, they made a pie from this berry 70 meters long – it entered the Guinness Book of Records.
Blueberry composition and calories
| Calories per 100 g | 44 kcal |
| Proteins | 1.1 g |
| Fats | 0.6 g |
| Carbohydrates |
Blueberry benefits
Blueberries are an excellent source of vitamins, especially A , C and B vitamins. There are a lot of manganese, magnesium and calcium in these berries.
Anthocyanins, natural antioxidants, give blueberries their dark color. Most of the antioxidants are in blueberries. They are able to bind free radicals and protect against cell damage. This reduces the risk of tumor formation. Anthocyanins also reduce the risk of diseases of the heart, blood vessels and eyes.
In addition to anthocyanins, this berry also contains other antioxidants: flavonoids, tannins, which have a similar effect and suppress inflammation.
Bilberry extract is very well known in ophthalmology. Many unscrupulous firms distort the real effects of blueberry active ingredients and promise “eye like an eagle.” This is wrong. Indeed, by improving the blood circulation of the retina, the risk of retinal detachment is reduced, and this is where the beneficial properties of blueberries for vision end.
Fresh and dried berries help in the treatment of diarrhea, as well as gastritis, peptic ulcer.
Bilberry leaves are also useful – they have an insulin-like effect and reduce sugar in diabetes.
Harm of blueberries
— It is undesirable to use these berries in case of urolithiasis. Blueberries can cause new stones to form.
Berries, should be consumed in moderation (about 100 g), otherwise it can provoke allergies and lead to constipation, says gastroenterologist Olga Arisheva .
Medicinal uses of blueberries
Both berries and leaves are used medicinally.
The most famous property is supposedly to improve twilight vision, and generally increase its sharpness. According to scientific studies, blueberries are really good for the eyes, but they do not improve vision. This berry improves blood circulation, reduces the risk of retinal detachment, and treats some other eye diseases. Blueberries are part of many fees and dietary supplements for eye health. Useful for those who strain their eyes a lot in connection with their profession. However, blueberries, alas, cannot improve vision itself.
In addition to the well-known properties, blueberries have the ability to fix, so they are effective against diarrhea. The leaves are also used in the treatment of diabetes – neomyrtillin glycoside is able to reduce blood sugar. Also, the shoots of this plant are part of some herbal preparations for the prevention of diabetes.
Bilberry uses in cooking
Berry is excellent for baking and desserts, various drinks.
The juice is often used as a coloring agent for liqueurs.
Blueberry pie
Simple sponge cake with fragrant berry filling
Photo: pixabay.com
| Blueberries | 350 g | Flour | 400 g | ||||
| Milk | 250 ml | ||||||
| Sugar | 100 g | ||||||
| Butter | 100 g | ||||||
| Eggs | 3 pcs. | ||||||
| Baking soda | pinch | ||||||
| Salt | to taste | ||||||
| Powdered sugar | 100 g along with sugar. Add soft butter and milk, stir. Add flour, salt and soda, mix quickly. Pour the batter into a baking dish. Sort blueberries, wash and drain. You can use frozen – then you do not need to defrost. Put the berries on top of the dough, sprinkle with powdered sugar and bake the cake in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 30 minutes. Share your recipe Send your signature dish recipe to retsepty@kp. Blueberry ice creamBright ice cream made from simple ingredients. Only immersion blender or mixer with blades needed Photo: pixabay.com
Puree fresh or frozen blueberries. Add sour cream, sugar and mix everything until sugar dissolves. Pour the puree into a wide container in a thin layer to make it easier to break the ice later with a blender. Put the container in the freezer for an hour, take it out and beat with a blender. Remove again for an hour and beat again, repeat after an hour. This is done in order to break up the ice crystals and get a smooth ice cream texture. How to choose and store blueberries When choosing blueberries, pay attention to the waxy coating. Fresh berries even in the refrigerator are stored for only a couple of days – after that they become soft and release juice. Before this, it is better not to wash the blueberries, but to wash each batch immediately before eating. You can freeze blueberries. Before that, it needs to be sorted out, cleaned of litter and washed. Let the water drain and dry on a towel. After that, pour into a container in a thin layer and freeze. When the berries are set, they can be transferred to bags. This method will not allow them to stick together and become limp. So the berries lie for up to a year. Dried blueberries keep in a dark place in glass for about 2 years. Blueberries: benefits and harms to the body, vitamins and beneficial properties
What is blueberry Blueberry is a shrub of the lingonberry family. Composition and nutritional value of blueberries The vitamin and mineral composition of blueberries is rich in vitamins and minerals – see for yourself what 100 g of blueberries contain. Nutrition:
Vitamins:
Minerals:
In addition, blueberries contain tannins, essential oils and folic acid. Benefits of blueberries Blueberries are not only tasty, but also good for health.
Contraindications: when blueberries can be harmful to health Like all berries, blueberries can be harmful to health.
How blueberries affect men’s and women’s health Women often use blueberries for cosmetic purposes. Anti-inflammatory and moisturizing masks based on berries rejuvenate the skin. The antioxidants contained in fruits are responsible for cell regeneration. During menstruation, blueberries help relieve pain and reduce muscle spasms. During pregnancy, you should stick to the golden mean in your food habits. In moderation, blueberries:
Blueberries are also essential for men’s health. Berries help treat prostate inflammation. And thanks to the flavonoids in the composition of blueberries, it has a good effect on reproductive function. Harm and benefits of blueberries for children. When can you introduce blueberries into complementary foods? At the beginning of weaning, you need to be careful with berries, as they are allergens. Blueberries are contraindicated in children with atopic dermatitis and biliary tract pathologies. You can start feeding blueberries to a child from the age of nine months by giving him two or three berries in the form of a puree. Watch the reactions of your baby’s body. If everything is in order, you can cook blueberry compote (if you are worried about a high concentration of juice, dilute the compote with boiled water), as it improves bowel function. An allergic reaction to blueberries is manifested by a reddish rash, swelling of the skin and itching. Dried berries, blueberry juice and blueberry leaves Blueberries ripen in summer, fresh berries do not last long. It happens that blueberries start to taste bitter. This means that the berry, unfortunately, has deteriorated after three to four days of storage. After that, you should not eat or use it for treatment. You can stock up on healthy berries for the winter in different ways, for example, by drying. Dried blueberries differ from fresh blueberries in that they contain more sugar and calories: one cup of fresh blueberries contains 15 g of sugar, while dried blueberries have as much as 100 g! Therefore, diabetics and overweight people need to be careful with dried treats. Dried blueberries also have more dietary fiber: 12 g instead of 3–4 g. But remember about moderation – overeating even a healthy berry can cause problems. The bacterial properties of blueberries make the juice from its berries an adjuvant in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary tract: gastritis, colitis, cystitis and urethritis. Blueberry anthocyanins form compounds with glycosides. This helps the retina to adapt to sudden changes in light and vision improves. Drink blueberry juice, but don’t forget to see an ophthalmologist if you have vision problems. Blueberry leaves contain tannins, triterpene acids, flavonoids, vitamin C, essential oil, carotenoids. Traditional medicine claims that decoctions of blueberry leaves calm the nervous system and fight stress. It is also good to make compresses, lotions and enemas from blueberry leaves. Before use, be sure to consult with your doctor. How to distinguish blueberries from blueberries? If you hear the word “blueberry” and immediately imagine a picture of this berry, you are lucky. But not everyone can tell blueberries from blueberries. Blueberry is a round dark blue matte berry with a diameter of about 5–13 mm. Its flesh varies from white to yellow and contains light brown seeds. |
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If it is, then the blueberries are as fresh as possible. Berries should not be soft, have a smell of fermentation and let juice.
It grows in mixed forests and on mountain slopes. Black berries are covered with a bluish bloom. Blueberries are a juicy sweet and sour berry.
28 mg
If your child has these symptoms, stop taking blueberries and contact your doctor.
Specialists prescribe treatment, and blueberry juice complements it.