An underrated fruit with monumental health benefits. While blueberries are a seasonal fruit in the United States you can easily get them year-round. In my country harvest runs from April to late September. Then imports from South America line the grocery store shelves from October to March. My point. You can go to almost any grocery store or local farmers market in the United States and get these nutrient packed treats on demand at a moments notice. Accessible twenty-four seven whenever your heart desires.
According to a PMA (Produce Marketing Association) survey the most popular fruits in the United States for 2018 (in order) were bananas, apples, grapes, strawberries, and oranges. Where did the blueberries fall? They came in eighth place just barely beating out the peaches. It’s true that most of the fruit that came before blueberries on this list are cheaper per pound BUT it’s not by much. The average market price for fresh and processed wild blueberries is around $0.60 per pound so the cost to benefit ratio make this delightful fruit worth your while.
While I eat bananas, apples, and oranges on a regular basis I must say that in comparison blueberries could have the most overall benefits particularly from a nutritional standpoint. Blueberries are one of the healthiest fruits that you can eat and they are low in calories too which is why they have been a go-to fruit for me over the last two decades. Here are some of the main reasons why YOU should include blueberries in your diet.
1. Blueberries Are Low In Calories And High In Nutritional Value
Blueberries are in a category almost by themselves as being one of the most nutrient dense-berries on the market. A serving of blueberries (1 cup) contains 84 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrates. Along with being low in calories these berries are high in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese. For a look at the RDI (Recommended Dietary Intake) a serving of blueberries can give you 4 grams of fiber, 24% of your RDI in vitamin C, 36% of your RDI in vitamin K, and 25 % of your RDI in Manganese.
2. Blueberries May Lower Blood Pressure And Decrease Your Risk Of Heart Disease
Consuming blueberries on a regular basis can have a positive impact on people suffering from high blood pressure and/or heart disease. In a recent 2 month study, obese individuals who had a high risk of heart disease saw a 4-6% decrease in blood pressure after eating 2 ounces (50 grams) of blueberries per day. Similar studies have also seen similar results particularly with postmenopausal women.
While consuming blueberries may decrease blood pressure and LDL cholesterol there is less evidence as to whether or not blueberries can actually prevent heart attacks which is the leading cause of death in the world. In a fairly recent study that was conducted with 93,600 nurses researchers found that those with the highest intake of anthocyanins which is the main antioxidant in blueberries had a 32% lower risk of having a heart attack compared to those with the lowest intake. It’s important to note that this was merely an observational study so it couldn’t definitely prove whether anthocyanins alone caused this decrease.
3. Blueberries Are One Of The BEST Antioxidant Foods
In case you didn’t know already antioxidants protect the human body from free radicals, which are unsteady molecules that can harm cells and contribute to an increase in aging and certain diseases like cancer. It’s widely believed among most health professionals that blueberries have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all popular fruits and vegetables.
The main antioxidant compounds found in blueberries are part of a group of polyphenols antioxidants known as flavonoids. There is one category of flavonoids in particular known as anthocyanins which are believed to be the group that has the most beneficial health effects associated with blueberries. It has been shown that consuming blueberries can have a direct increase on the antioxidant levels in the human body.
4. Blueberries Can Lower DNA Damage
It’s nearly impossible for most individuals to avoid oxidative DNA damage. It has been shown that DNA damage occurs thousands of times per day across all the cells of the human body. It’s the main reason why people get older and it plays a major part in the formation of diseases like cancer. Due to the high level of antioxidants it has been shown that blueberries can actually offset some of the free radicals that can damage DNA.
In a study showing the positive effects of blueberry juice researchers had a 168 people drink 34 ounces of mixed blueberry juice every day. After a month they discovered that oxidative DNA damage went down by 20%. Interestingly there have been quite a few studies that have shown a positive correlation between mixed blueberry juices and a reduction in DNA damage.
5. Blueberries May Lower Muscle Damage After Exercise
It’s know secret that exercise can lead to muscle soreness and fatigue. The main reason why this happens is because of stress and inflammation in the muscle tissue. Where do blueberries come in? Well it has been shown that regularly consuming blueberries may decrease the damage that occurs on a molecular level. This can lower the effects associated with decreased muscle performance and soreness.
While it’s a small sample there was a study with 10 female athletes that showed that a regular consumption of blueberries accelerated muscle tissue recovery after leg exercises.
Departing Words
A diet that is high in fruits and vegetables should be the core of every individual’s diet. Every fruit and vegetable has it’s own distinct health benefits BUT there are some that are more beneficial than others. Blueberries should be a staple in every person’s diet. Whether you are an Olympic athlete or someone who wants to lose weight and improve their overall diet regularly consuming blueberries can take your health to another level. Next time you go shopping in the produce aisle and your looking for the bananas make sure you visit the blueberry section. Stay healthy. Stay positive. Never surrender.
Alex Reid
Move At Will 