Why Blueberries Are the Superfood for Your Heart

Blueberries are a tremendously popular fruit that is not only delicious but also very healthy. They have a low calorie count and are very beneficial to your health. Hence they are sometimes referred to as "superfoods." Since they are so easy to eat and transport, many consider them their favorite fruit.

This is a list of blueberries' top nine scientifically verified health benefits.

1. Blueberries have a low-calorie Count but a high Nutritional Density

The blueberry, or Vaccinium sect. Cyanococcus, the bush, is a flowering shrub named "blueberry" for its bluish-purple berry fruit.

It shares a close phylogenetic relationship with cranberry and huckleberry-producing shrubs.

Blueberries range in size from around 0.2 to 0.6 inches (5 to 16 millimeters) across, and their tops are somewhat flared.

At first, they seem green, but their color changes to purple and blue as they mature.

There are mainly two kinds −

• The American highbush blueberry is the most widely grown blueberry cultivar.

• Blueberries found on low bushes, sometimes known as "wild" blueberries, are typically smaller but have higher levels of certain antioxidants.

There are few fruits as nutrient-rich as blueberries. What you'll find in a cup's worth (148g) of blueberries −

Fiber: 3.6g

Daily Value for

• Vitamin C: 16%

• Vitamin K: 24%

• Manganese: 22%.

Variable quantities of other nutrients in small amounts

They include primarily water (approximately 85%), have just 84 calories and 21.5g of carbs per cup, and have zero fat.

This means they provide a lot of bang for the buck regarding essential nutrients.

2. Being an Antioxidant Powerhouse, Blueberries are Among the best Foods

Free radicals are dangerous, unstable chemicals that may harm your cells, speed up aging, and contribute to illnesses like cancer if they aren't neutralized by antioxidants.

According to certain studies, blueberries are among the most abundant antioxidants in food.

Flavonoids, a polyphenol antioxidant, are the blueberry's primary antioxidant components.

Most of the positive benefits of these berries are believed to be due to a class of flavonoids called anthocyanins.

Studies have revealed that eating blueberries may significantly boost your body's natural antioxidant defenses.

3. Inhibiting DNA Damage by Eating Blueberries may help Stave off Aging and Cancer

DNA damage from oxidation is inevitable in the human experience. It's supposed to happen daily in every cell in your body.

Aging is a result of DNA damage, which occurs naturally over time. Furthermore, it's a significant factor in the onset of illnesses like cancer.

Due to their high antioxidant content, blueberries may help prevent some of the free radical damage to DNA.

168 participants drank 34 ounces (1l) of a blueberry-apple juice blend daily for fundamental research. Free radical DNA damage was decreased by 20% after four weeks.

The results are consistent with smaller studies using fresh or powdered blueberries.

4. As an Antioxidant, Blueberries Prevent LDL Cholesterol in the Bloodstream from Oxidizing

The cells and DNA in your body aren't the only things at risk from oxidative damage. Oxidized "bad" LDL cholesterol is also an issue. Indeed, oxidation of "bad" LDL cholesterol is essential in developing cardiovascular disease.

The blueberry's antioxidants have been related to lower levels of oxidized LDL. As a result, eating blueberries is great for your hearing health. Over 8 weeks, those who consumed 2 ounces (50g) of freeze-dried blueberries daily experienced a 28% reduction in LDL oxidation. In another research, 75g of blueberries (about 2.5 ounces) were shown to drastically lower the oxidation of "bad" LDL cholesterol when consumed alongside a big meal.

5. Blueberries help Decrease Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a crucial risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and blueberries provide considerable advantages for those who suffer from it. Consuming 2 ounces (50g) of freeze-dried blueberries daily resulted in a 4%-6% drop in blood pressure in an 8-week trial of obese persons with a high risk of heart disease.

Similar outcomes, particularly for postmenopausal women, have been seen in other research.

6. Heart Disease may be Averted with the aid of Blueberries

Whereas consuming blueberries may reduce blood pressure and oxidize LDL cholesterol, these are just risk factors, not illnesses. Knowing if blueberries help avoid hard endpoints, such as heart attacks, the top cause of mortality worldwide, would be far more instructive.

Blueberries' principal antioxidant, anthocyanins, was shown to reduce the incidence of heart attacks by 32% in a study of 93,600 nurses.

The observational nature of the research means that it cannot establish that the anthocyanins themselves are responsible for the protective effect.

7. Besides Their Antioxidant Properties, Blueberries also Boost Brain Health and Memory

Chronic exposure to oxidative stress may exacerbate age-related declines in brain function.

Animal research suggests that the blueberry's antioxidants positively affect vital intellectual regions. In the case of aged neurons, they seem beneficial, resulting in enhanced cell signaling.

Promising findings have also been found in investigations involving humans. In one study, nine seniors with moderate cognitive impairment drank blueberry juice daily. Several measures of brain health improved after 12 weeks.

Blueberries and strawberries were associated with a 2-and-a-half-year delay in mental aging during a 6-year trial including over 16,000 older people.

8. Promising Potential in Warding Against UTIs

Those born into the feminine gender are disproportionately affected by urinary tract infections (UTIs). Blueberry juice has gained widespread popularity due to the belief that it may help avoid certain diseases.

As cranberries and blueberries have a common ancestor, blueberry juice shares many of the same beneficial compounds found in cranberry juice. Anti-adhesives are chemicals that help stop germs like E. coli from sticking to the bladder wall.

While blueberry extract has shown promise for its anti-adhesive qualities, its effect on urinary tract infections has yet to be studied; therefore, cranberries are probably the best choice.

9. The Anthocyanins in Blueberries may help Fight Against Diabetes

The sugar content in blueberries is around average for fruit.

One cup (148g) comprises 15g of sugar since an average-sized apple or orange has 30g of sugar.

When managing blood sugar levels, the advantages of blueberries exceed their relatively high sugar content. Studies have shown that the anthocyanins in blueberries improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. Diabetes may be fought with both fresh and freeze-dried berries.

Significant increases in insulin sensitivity were seen in 32 obese people with insulin resistance who drank two blueberry smoothies daily.

Increased insulin sensitivity has several potential health benefits, including a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.