Blueberry is a very popular fruit among all the berries.
The blueberry plant is a flowering shrub with blue to purple color berries. The plant and fruit resemble cranberries and huckleberries
This berry fruit is delicious, nutritious, and very rich in powerful antioxidants.
Blueberry is a very popular fruit among all the berries.
The blueberry plant is a flowering shrub with blue to purple color berries. The plant and fruit resemble cranberries and huckleberries.
This berry fruit is delicious, nutritious, and rich in powerful antioxidants.
This fruit contains comparatively fewer calories which makes it even better and healthier.
It is a “superfood” with many health benefits.
Blueberries taste great and are also very convenient to carry around and eat whenever you want them.
In this article, we shall discuss nutrition, its low-calorie value, and blueberries’ nine important health benefits.
How Many Calories In Blueberries?
Like low-calorie diet enthusiasts, you could also be interested in knowing how many calories are in blueberries.
Calories in Blueberries are comparatively low; only 84 calories in one cup of blueberries.
If you are on a 2,000 calories per day diet plan, one cup of this fruit daily will contain only 4% of your daily calorie requirements.
Calorie for calories, this berry is an excellent fruit that contains a minimal amount of calories with an ample amount of several important nutrients.
When you consume one cup of this fruit, you will receive only half a gram of fat and one gram of protein.
The blueberry calories are mostly sourced from the carbohydrate content in this fruit. One cup of blueberries contains about 21 grams of carbohydrates.
Blueberries are good fruits, especially for the ‘weight-conscious people’ on a low-calorie diet.
Blueberries Nutrition Facts
The health benefits of blueberries are mostly derived from the rich nutrients and antioxidants present in this fruit.
It is one of the most nutrient-dense berries but less nutritious than many often exaggerate.
The blueberry nutrition per 1 cup serving (148 grams) is as follows:
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Manganese: 25% of the RDA
- Vitamin C: 24% of the RDA
- Vitamin K: 36% of the RDA
Besides the major nutrients mentioned above, this fruit also contains several other nutrients in small amounts.
Dietary fiber is also abundantly present in this fruit. Dietary fiber not only improves dietary health but also reduces LDL cholesterol.
An adult is expected to consume, on average, 30 grams of dietary fiber daily to maintain a healthy digestive system.
9 Blueberry Benefits On Health
Blueberries have many health benefits as a healthy source of nutrition and preventive remedy for some common ailments. This fruit is also helpful for improving the immune system and helps prevent common illnesses like cancer and diabetes.
The nine major health benefits you can expect from the regular consumption of blueberries are as follows.
1. Powerful Antioxidants In Blueberry
Antioxidants are extremely good for protecting our body from the damage caused by free radicals and preventing inflammations of the cells.
Blueberries are rich in good-quality antioxidants not commonly found in most vegetables and fruits.
Regularly consuming this fruit increases the body’s flavonoids’ group of antioxidants, especially anthocyanins and polyphenols.
As per the studies, blueberries are the best single natural source of all the main antioxidants.
2. Blueberries Prevent Cancer And Slow Down Aging
The oxidative process causes damage to the DNA structure of the cells; damages to various cells of the body happen many times a day.
One of the reasons why we become aged is the progressive damage occurring to our DNA regularly. The damages to the cell structure also become a cause of various types of cancer.
The antioxidants in blueberries can neutralize the harmful activities of free radicals, and it helps minimize the damage to the DNA.
Some studies have proved that regular consumption of blueberries can protect the DNA from the harmful effects of the free radical, which helps prevent cancer and slow down aging.
3. Blueberries Help In Improving Memory And Brain Functioning
The brain cells get damaged by oxidative stress, adversely affecting the brain’s healthy functioning.
Animal studies have proved the improvement in intelligence and memory when the antioxidants from the blueberry accumulate in certain areas of the brain. The antioxidants rejuvenated the aging neurons and showed improvements in cell signaling.
Studies conducted on human beings showed that when patients with partial cognitive impairment were provided with blueberry juices every day, their brain functioning improved over 12 weeks. It was also noted that a person who regularly consumed blueberries for more than two years had slower cognitive aging than the rest.
4. Blueberries Help In Lowering Diabetic Risks
Blueberries are lower in sugar (calories) than other fruits; less than 15 grams of sugar per cup of blueberry.
This fruit can reduce the negative impact of blood sugar because of the bioactive compounds present in this fruit.
According to studies, insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism can be improved with the help of anthocyanins in blueberries.
The risks of metabolic syndrome and Type II diabetes can be minimized to a great extent by improving insulin sensitivity. When you have a glass of blueberry juice or smoothie, it helps your body to improve insulin sensitivity.
5. Urinary Tract Infections Can Be Prevented And Cured With Blueberries
Like cranberry juice, blueberries also contain similar substances that can very well aid in preventing the urinary tract infection commonly found in a woman.
The anti-adhesive type substances in blueberries prevent E.Coli like bacteria from binding to the wall of the bladder.
Much more research is required to exploit the full potential of blueberries in preventing and curing urinary tract infections, just as cranberries.
6. Blueberry Aids In Preventing Damages To Blood Cholesterol
The cholesterol can get damaged by the oxidative process.
Especially oxidation of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) can lead to the development of inflammations that can even cause cancer and fatal heart diseases.
The strong antioxidants in blueberries prevent and clear the oxidized LDL cholesterol.
Studies indicate lower levels of LDL cholesterol oxidation (up to 27% reduction) when the study members consumed 50 to 70 grams of blueberries as part of their daily diet.
7. Blueberries Help In Reducing Blood Pressure And Improving The Health Of The Heart
Another very good health benefit of blueberries is their ability to reduce high blood pressure.
In one of the studies, obese individuals experienced up to a 6% reduction in blood pressure when fed 50 grams of blueberries daily.
Controlling the high blood pressure with a daily intake of blueberries reduces the possibility of heart attacks and strokes.
One of the studies involved 93,600 nurses eating the antioxidant ‘anthocyanins,’ abundantly found in blueberries, found to have a 32% lower risk of heart attacks.
The excess cholesterol in the blood can also be reduced with the help of fiber in blueberries which decreases the possibility of heart ailments.
8. Blue Berries Helps In Fast Recuperation From Muscle Soreness And Fatigue
After intense exercise sessions, most people often experience muscle fatigue and soreness because of oxidative stress and local inflammations of the muscle tissues.
It is found that people who use blueberry supplements can prevent and recover fast from muscle damage that occurs at the molecular level. This not only removes the muscle soreness but also improves the performance of the muscles.
9. Blueberries Help In Weight Loss
Blueberries are very rich in dietary fiber. When a person consumes blueberries, the fiber in them acts as a ‘bulk agent’ that reduces appetite and improves the functioning of the digestive system.
Eating blueberries before meals or as part of the meal makes the person quickly feel full and satiated.
This fruit also contains very few calories, which is good for weight loss. The antioxidants in this berry also help to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the oxidative effects on blood cholesterol. These two positive health benefits are good for reducing body weight.
This fruit should be part of any good weight loss diet.
Final Thought
As we have already seen in the above discussions, blueberries are very healthy and nutritious with excellent health benefits.
This fruit is tasty and sweet and can be eaten fresh or frozen. It has low calories but a good amount of nutrition.
As more and more people are coming to know about the health benefits of blueberries; this fruit has already attained a “superfood’ status and ever-increasing demand for it.
Regular consumption of blueberries (50 to 140 grams per day) will help you to slow down the aging process and to attain a healthy immune system. These fruits can also help you in preventing even deadly diseases like cancer, stroke, and heart attacks.