Blueberries are about the size of a pencil eraser, and somehow they’ve built one of the most extensive research files in the produce aisle. Heart health, memory, blood sugar, immune support—researchers have looked at all of it. The best part is that the results keep giving us more reasons to keep snacking.
We’ve got a soft spot for this subject. Berry Fresh was started by blueberry growers, and blueberries are still at the heart of what we grow. So here’s what the research really says about the health benefits of blueberries, whether they’re wild, cultivated, fresh, or pulled straight from your freezer.
And before we dive into it: blueberries are a delicious addition to your routine, but they are not a replacement for medical advice. If you’re managing a health condition, your doctor gets the final word.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Blueberries? Pull Up A Chair.
Start with what’s inside the clamshell. One cup of fresh blueberries comes in around 83 calories, with about 3.5 grams of fiber, 14 milligrams of vitamin C, and roughly a quarter of the vitamin K most adults need in a day. Fresh Berry Fresh blueberries pack all of that into a snack that requires no peeling, chopping, or cooking skills.
Then there are anthocyanins. They’re the natural pigments behind that deep blue skin, and they’re the compound in blueberries that researchers keep pointing to for benefits like heart health, memory, and steadier blood sugar.
A Little Love For Your Heart
Yep, research suggests berries may do your heart some good. Researchers at Harvard followed about 93,600 women for almost two decades. Women who ate more than three servings of blueberries and strawberries a week tended to have a lower risk of heart attack than women who rarely ate them, and the researchers suggested anthocyanins as the likely reason (1). (We went deeper on this topic in our article on berries for heart health.)
Brain Food, Literally
Researchers have also been testing whether blueberries can sharpen memory as we age. At the University of Cincinnati, older adults with mild memory problems took a daily blueberry powder for four months. Compared to a placebo group, the adults that consumed the blueberry powder improved with pulling up words and concepts, and did better on visual memory tests (2). Though this study was small and more research is needed, it’s pretty good evidence to keep a clamshell of blueberries (or two) in the fridge.
Steadier Blood Sugar
At least according to some research. In a study from Pennington Biomedical Research Center, adults with insulin resistance drank blueberry smoothies twice a day for six weeks. These adults saw a greater improvement in insulin sensitivity than the group drinking a lookalike smoothie with no blueberries in it (3). And that fiber we mentioned earlier? It’s good news for your gut health too.
Backup For Your Immune System
Researchers on one study gave sedentary adults the equivalent of about 250 grams of blueberries a day (a little under two cups) for six weeks. By the end of the study, the blueberry group had more natural killer cells, a type of white blood cell your immune system relies on. (4). Not bad for a berry that fits on your fingertip.
Health Benefits Of Frozen Blueberries? Your Freezer’s Been Holding Out.
If you’ve been skipping frozen blueberries, it might be time to reconsider. Frozen berries are usually picked and frozen at peak ripeness, and freezing helps them hold on to their nutrients. That also includes those colorful anthocyanins.
And because we believe fresh blueberries are the best, you can freeze your fresh ones really easily! Give them a rinse, dry them completely, and place in your freezer. (Okay, there are more steps to that but you can read them all in our guide to freezing berries!)
From there, they’re ready for a smoothie, a bowl of oatmeal, yogurt, or pretty much anything in our recipe collection.
Three servings a week is the golden number the research keeps landing on. Find Berry Fresh at a store near you and start snacking away!
References
- Cassidy, A., et al. (2013). High Anthocyanin Intake Is Associated With a Reduced Risk of Myocardial Infarction in Young and Middle-Aged Women.
- Krikorian, R., et al. (2019). Cognitive Performance in Relation to Urinary Anthocyanins and Their Flavonoid-Based Products Following Blueberry Supplementation in Older Adults at Risk for Dementia.
- Stull, A., et al. (2010). Bioactives in Blueberries Improve Insulin Sensitivity in Obese, Insulin-Resistant Men and Women.
- McAnulty, L., et al. (2014). Six Weeks Daily Ingestion of Whole Blueberry Powder Increases Natural Killer Cell Counts and Reduces Arterial Stiffness in Sedentary Males and Females.
