How Many Calories in Blueberries? Blueberries Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

There are 84 calories in blueberries, 1 gram of protein, 21 grams of carbohydrates, and 0.5 grams of fat in a serving size of one cup (148 grams) of raw blueberries.

The antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin K, as well as the mineral manganese, can all be found in high concentrations in blueberries nutrition. The following blueberries nutrition facts come from the USDA:

• Vitamin C: 14.4 mg
• Fat: 0.48 g
• Carbs: 21.5 g
• Fiber content: 3.55 g
• Sugars: 14.7 g
• Calories in blueberries: 84.4 kcal
• Protein: 1.1 g
• Sodium: 1.48 mg

Carbs

Raw berries include roughly 84 calories in blueberries nutrition and 21 grams of carbohydrates in one cup. In addition to that, it provides roughly 4 grams of fiber.

Even though one cup of 84 calories in blueberries nutrition has almost 15 grams of total sugar, its glycemic load, which determines how much of a certain item can cause an increase in blood sugar levels, is below 10, putting it in the low category.

Fiber

Dietary fiber is an essential component of a diet high in blueberries nutrition and may provide some degree of defense against various ailments [1].

Nutrition in blueberries provides 3.55 grams of fiber in each cup. In fact, the berries’ fiber content accounts for around 16% of their total carbohydrate load.

Fats

Blueberries nutrition features zero percent of the bad cholesterol and just a small quantity of the good fat.

Vitamins and Minerals

Blueberries nutrition includes a significant amount of important nutrients such as the mineral manganese, vitamin C, and vitamin K. These elements assist the body in metabolizing cholesterol as well as other nutrients, such as carbs and protein.

• Vitamin K: The nutrition in blueberries contains vitamin K, an essential component in maintaining healthy bones and blood coagulation [2]. Phylloquinone is another name for vitamin K1, which is primarily responsible for blood clotting. There is some evidence that it may also be beneficial to bone health [3].
• Vitamin C: Also referred to as ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant that plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy skin and proper immunological function. [4].
• Manganese: The proper metabolism of amino acids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates all need the presence of this important mineral [5].

How Many Calories in a Cup of Blueberries?

As per official nutrition in blueberries, one cup of fresh berries weighs 148 grams and contains 84 calories in blueberries. Around 90% of those calories in blueberries come from carbohydrates, while just 5% come from protein and 5% come from fat.

How Many Calories in Blueberries?

Calories in blueberries nutrition are a healthy, low-calorie option. Nutrition in blueberries provides a sufficient amount of carbs, including fiber, in a single serving.

Calories of blueberries nutrition are an excellent source of a number of essential vitamins and minerals, including manganese, vitamin C, and vitamin K.

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Plant Compounds

Calories in blueberries have a high concentration of antioxidants as well as other plant chemicals that are useful, including:

• Anthocyanins. Calories in blueberries nutrition are particularly rich in a kind of antioxidant called anthocyanins. Blueberries get their color from antioxidants, which may also help lower your risk of developing cardiovascular disease [6,7,8, 9].
• Flavonoids are a broad class of polyphenols that are considered to be responsible for several of the positive effects that the calories in blueberries nutrition have [10].
• Malvidin and delphinidin are the two most abundant anthocyanins found in calories in blueberries, with a total of over 15 distinct anthocyanins having been identified [7,10,11]. It seems that the skin of the fruit has a high concentration of these anthocyanins. As a result, as per the nutrition in blueberries, the richest in nutrients is its skin.
• Quercetin. The nutrition in blueberries decreases risk of cardiovascular disease and lower blood pressure have both been related to higher consumption of this flavonol [12,13].
• Myricetin. Numerous studies have shown that the nutrition in blueberries has potential health advantages, including in cancer and diabetes prevention [14,15].

Health Benefits of Calories of Blueberries

The polyphenol chemicals found in calories of blueberries have been hailed as something of a health superstar. Moreover, micronutrients present in calories of blueberries nutrition have been linked to a number of health benefits. These health benefits include:

Improve Memory

Worldwide, the population aged 65 and above is growing rapidly, and with this demographic shift comes a rise in the prevalence of age-related illnesses.

Intriguingly, improved cognitive performance has been linked to diets rich in flavonoids, such as blueberries nutrition [16].

Eating calories in blueberries nutrition may help avoid oxidative stress, which plays a crucial part in the aging process. Because of this, research that was published in 2012 credited blueberries nutrition with slowing cognitive aging by an average of two and a half years [17].

There is evidence that eating calories in blueberries may help preserve memory and protect against cognitive decline. People who frequently consumed blueberry juice had enhanced performance on memory tests (and also lowered feelings of sadness) due to nutrition in blueberries according to a single small research that lasted for 12 weeks [18].

Another research on the nutrition in blueberries that lasted for six years revealed that eating calories in blueberries and strawberries was associated with up to a 2.5-year delay in the aging of the brain [19].

Fight Inflammation

Calories in blueberries nutrition have a plethora of phytochemicals, which are compounds derived from plants. Among them are the flavonoids, which are what give the fruit its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Calories in blueberries, like other berries, contain a lot of vitamin C. Nutrition in blueberries has anti-aging characteristics in addition to its role as an antioxidant, which enables it to speed up the healing of wounds, boost immunity, and combat the effects of age [20].

Reduce Heart Attack Risk

According to the findings of one study, women who had three or more servings of calories in blueberries on a weekly basis had a 32% lower chance of having a heart attack. One of the reasons why blueberries nutrition is so good for you is that it contains a lot of fiber, which is good for your heart and makes you feel full [21].

The component of carbohydrates that cannot be digested, known as fiber, contributes to a feeling of fullness, helps control bowel movements, removes cholesterol from the bloodstream, and maintains normal blood sugar levels.

Anthocyanins are another kind of antioxidant that may be found in calories of blueberries. These antioxidants may help the heart by enhancing blood flow and preventing plaque accumulation [22].

Damage caused by oxidative stress is not confined to your DNA and cells alone.

Oxidation of your “bad” LDL cholesterol is another issue that might arise from this condition.

As a matter of fact, oxidation of “bad” LDL cholesterol is an important mechanism in the development of cardiovascular disease.

As per nutrition in blueberries, there is a significant correlation between the antioxidants found in calories in blueberries and lower levels of oxidized LDL. Because of this, calories in blueberries nutrition are very beneficial to the health of your heart [23].

Over the course of eight weeks, the study of nutrition in blueberries suggested that obese persons who ate two servings calories in blueberries each day (50 grams) had a 27% reduction in LDL oxidation [24].

Another research on the nutrition in blueberries found that consuming around 75 grams, which is equivalent to about 2.5 ounces, of calories in blueberries nutrition together with a primary meal substantially decreased the oxidation of “bad” LDL cholesterol [25].

Reduce the Potential for Cancer

Consuming foods rich in anthocyanins may also assist to reduce the risk of developing cancer, according to blueberries nutrition studies [26].

Anthocyanins are a kind of flavonoid that may be found in calories in blueberries nutrition and other fruits and vegetables with vibrant coloration.

Improve Insulin Sensitivity

Even while calories in blueberries include sugars that are produced by the body on their own, the anthocyanins in blueberries nutrition seem to increase insulin sensitivity and aid in bringing down blood sugar levels.

Studies on nutrition in blueberries indicate that they may be able to assist in lowering the risk of developing insulin resistance as well as type 2 diabetes [27, 28].

May Help Fight Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections, sometimes known as UTIs, are an issue that frequently affects women.

It is well known that consuming cranberry juice on a regular basis might assist in warding against infections of this kind.

Nutrition in blueberries and cranberries have a close genetic relationship, and as a result, contain several of the same bioactive compounds [29].

Anti-adhesives are some of these bioactive compounds that assist in preventing germs, such as E. coli, from adhering to the lining of the bladder. It should be noted that blueberries nutrition has only been investigated for its effect on UTIs a handful of times, although it is probable that its effects are comparable to those of cranberries [30].

May Reduce Muscle Damage After Strenuous Exercise

Exercising for an extended period of time at a high intensity may cause muscular pain and exhaustion.This is caused, in part, by the presence of oxidative stress and localized inflammation in the tissue of your muscles [31].

There is some evidence that taking blueberry nutrition supplements may lower the amount of damage that is done on a molecular level, hence reducing the amount of muscle pain and a drop in overall performance.

Calories in blueberries nutrition were shown to hasten the regeneration of muscle tissue after intensive leg workouts in a trial that included 10 female athletes [32].

May Lower Blood Pressure

Hypertension is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and calories in blueberries nutrition seem to help in a big way for those who suffer from it.

In a trial that lasted for eight weeks on the study of nutrition in blueberries, participants who were obese and had a high risk of heart disease observed a 4–6% drop in their blood pressure after taking 2 ounces (50 grams) of calories in blueberries on a daily basis [24].

Other investigations on the nutrition in blueberries have come to the same conclusions, particularly concerning the impact on postmenopausal women [33, 34].

Allergies To Blueberries Nutrition

Calories in blueberries are a natural source of salicylates, which are a common allergen. They’re the active ingredient in aspirin and are found in other types of food items and personal-care products. If you’re allergic to these chemicals, you should eat calories in blueberries nutrition with caution [35].

Adverse Effects

It’s possible that certain drugs may react negatively with blueberries. Blueberries nutrition is filled with vitamin K, which is an essential component for blood clotting. Salicylates, which work as a natural blood thinner, are also present in calories in blueberries at high concentrations.

According to a study on nutrition in blueberries, if you are using a blood thinner such as Coumadin (warfarin), you should see your physician to discuss the impact that eating foods rich in salicylates and vitamin K may have on your medication [36] .

Varieties of Blueberries

One of the few fruits that are indigenous to North America is the blueberry. You have the option of purchasing either wild blueberries or blueberries that have been farmed.

The taste of wild berries is stronger and sourer than their domesticated counterparts, and they are much smaller. Additionally, they have a higher concentration of antioxidants compared to cultivated berries.

Both fresh and frozen nutrition in blueberries are high in beneficial antioxidants and may be purchased separately.

Because frozen berries are often gathered when they are at their peak and can be stored for a longer period of time than fresh berries, they are an excellent option for nutrition in blueberries throughout the year.

When Blueberries Nutrition Is the Best

Blueberry season in North America goes from April to September, however imports from South America, where the seasons are reversed, are available from October to March.

Buy berries that are plump, dry, well-rounded, and have smooth skin. They should have a vibrant blue color and seem somewhat frosted.

The reddish blueberries may be used in cooking, despite the fact that they are not ripe and will not mature after being plucked. Steer clear of blueberries that are mushy, have lost their shape, or show any signs of mold.

Fresh blueberries might be one of the most costly fruits to purchase when they are out of season.

Choose blueberries that have been flash-frozen instead of fresh ones since they are a great complement to smoothies, baked goods, and can even be used as a topping for overnight oats. This option saves money and is just as healthy as fresh calories in blueberries.

Research suggests that freezing helps retain the quality of nutrition in blueberries of foods like frozen berries [37]. Normally, frozen berries are selected at their optimum ripeness, which is also when the nutrition in blueberries is most high.

Storage and Food Safety

For high nutrition in blueberries, keep fresh blueberries in the refrigerator and consume them within 10 days of purchase.

It is recommended to give them a quick wash under running water before consuming them, but you should hold off on washing them until just before you want to eat or cook with blueberries.

Blueberries that have been frozen may be kept in the freezer for up to a year without losing their quality, but the nutrition in blueberries is the best and they are still safe to consume beyond that time period.

How to Prepare Blueberries

The multipurpose use of blueberries in baked items such as pies, muffins, and pancakes and crumbles brings out their full flavor potential.

You can mix them into smoothies, eat them with oatmeal, yogurt, or cottage cheese or blend them into a bowl and eat them by themselves.

The nutrition in blueberries is high, and even the blueberries are delicious when combined with balsamic vinegar to make a savory sauce. You may toss them into a salad for a revitalizing and vibrant garnish, or you can just pop them directly into your mouth as a scrumptious snack.

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