The Nutritional Benefits of Blueberries
Are you ready to dig into a bowl of delicious blueberries? Perhaps you’re adding a handful to your morning smoothie? Regularly eating blueberries is not only tasty, it can be excellent for your overall health.
While the term “superfood” has become controversial because it is now seen as a marketing ploy and there’s no standardized list of criteria to designate a food as “super,” blueberries have often been touted as especially nutritious. That’s because blueberries are not only low in calories, they’re full of nutrients the body needs to thrive.
Healthline indicates blueberries are among the most nutrient-dense berries. A cup contains only 85 calories, and in that serving a person can enjoy 3.6 grams of fiber, 16 percent of the daily value (DV) of vitamin C; 24 percent of the DV of vitamin K; and 22 percent of the DV of manganese.
One of the main benefits of blueberries is that they are rich in antioxidants. Produced as a natural result of metabolism or exposure to pollution, cigarette smoke and alcohol, free radicals are molecules that damage cells over time. Antioxidants create barriers around cells to help protect them from damage by free radicals.
The Cleveland Clinic says that the high soluble fiber content of blueberries can make them strong allies in the fight against cholesterol. Soluble fiber binds to bile in the gut. Bile is made of cholesterol and other substances that need to be removed from the body. Lowering cholesterol helps prevent or reduce risk of heart disease.
In relation to heart health, blueberries also may help reduce blood pressure, which can be beneficial for the heart and brain. Healthline reports that in an eight-week study, people with obesity who had high risk of heart disease noted a 4 to 6 percent reduction in blood pressure after consuming two ounces of freeze-dried blueberries per day. Additional studies have uncovered similar blood pressure-lowering abilities of blueberries.
Individuals concerned with keeping their brains sharp may want to consider adding blueberries to the mix of foods they eat regularly. A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition uncovered cognitive function improved when participants ate about 3/4 cup of blueberries per day. Since blueberries lower blood pressure, more blood can flow to the brain, which improves cognitive function.
BBC Good Food says blueberries also are low in sugar and high in fiber, which gives them a low glycemic index. This means blueberries can potentially control blood sugar levels.
Blueberries are powerhouses of nutrition and people of all ages can benefit from consuming them regularly.
