10 Surprising Health Benefits of Blueberries

Blueberries are delicious, but did you know they also offer numerous health benefits? These little berries not only taste great in smoothies and baked goods, but they can also help improve your cholesterol levels, lower your risk of cancer, boost your brain power, fight against age-related vision loss, and more! Here are 10 surprising health benefits of blueberries that will hopefully make you want to incorporate them into your diet even more than you already do.

 

1) Blueberries are an Anti-Inflammatory

First and the most important health benefit of blueberries is its role as an anti inflammatory fruit. Inflammation is a silent killer. It’s been linked to heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, asthma and autoimmune diseases. But foods like blueberries can decrease inflammation in your body by increasing your antioxidant intake. The antioxidants in berries are known as flavonoids, which reduce oxidative stress (which leads to chronic inflammation) and improve circulation. Try tossing some fresh blueberries into your breakfast bowl for an anti-inflammatory boost! So, don’t ignore the health benefits of blueberries.

2) Help with Weight Loss

Fiber is an essential nutrient for overall health, but it’s also a key to weight loss. A fiber-rich diet can make you feel fuller and eat less, making weight loss easier than ever before. And blueberries are one fruit that’s packed with fiber! For example, just 1 cup of fresh blueberries contains 4 grams of fiber—that’s about 10% of your daily recommended intake. If you want to try adding more blueberries into your diet, start by eating them as part of a healthy breakfast or snack. You can also use them in place of other high-calorie foods (like french fries) when cooking at home or ordering out at restaurants. The possibilities are endless! So, you should include blueberries in your diet for getting its maximum health benefits.

 

3) May Prevent Cancer

It is one of the most important health benefits of eating blueberries. The anthocyanins in blueberries have been linked to an ability to inhibit cell growth in certain types of cancer cells. However, further research is needed before researchers can come up with concrete conclusions about how effective blueberry consumption may be for preventing cancer.

 

4) Improve Memory

Not only do blueberries taste delicious, but they can also improve your memory. Researchers have found that eating a cup of blueberries per day can help keep your brain healthy and ward off Alzheimer’s disease. We don’t know exactly why or how blueberries improve memory, but it has something to do with reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in our brains. Either way, when it comes to weight loss and overall health benefits, you shouldn’t overlook blueberries! It is one of the most demanding health benefits of blueberries.

 

5) Protect Against Diabetes

Blueberries are packed with phytonutrients—including anthocyanins and quercetin—that help protect against heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and macular degeneration. These compounds have also been shown to lower blood sugar levels. This health benefit of blueberries has made it very popular throughout the globe.

 

6) Reduce Symptoms of Arthritis

Arthritis is an umbrella term for many diseases that cause pain, stiffness, and inflammation in joints. While there’s no cure for arthritis—and most forms are incurable—eating a high-fiber diet like blueberries can help manage symptoms. A 2013 study found that blueberry supplements significantly decreased joint pain for people with rheumatoid arthritis, a type of inflammatory arthritis. The specific reason why isn’t yet understood, but researchers think it has to do with antioxidants or flavonoids in blueberries. By choosing wild (not cultivated) blueberries and supplementing regularly, you might see similar improvements in your symptoms as well. So, the health benefits of blueberries cannot be ignored specially for old people.

 

7) Lower Blood Pressure

The rich purple pigment in blueberries, anthocyanin, has been shown to lower blood pressure by relaxing and dilating blood vessels. The effect can be significant for people who have high blood pressure and are at risk for heart disease. So, blueberries have become the need of the day due to its vital health benefits like lowering blood pressure.

 

8) Help Maintain Good Eyesight

After a lifetime of using your eyes, sometimes it’s hard to retain good vision into old age. However, maintaining eye health through proper nutrition and exercise can have an enormous impact on your quality of life as you age. By eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, and ensuring that you get regular exercise, such as walking around your neighborhood park or even doing chores around your house, you can help maintain healthy eyesight for years to come.

 

9) Anti-aging Properties

It is one of the most engaging health benefits of blueberries. Blueberries are packed with resveratrol, a compound that has been proven to have anti-aging properties. Resveratrol has been shown to reduce inflammation, increase blood flow and even slow down aging. Add blueberries to your diet to get added benefits like improved cardiovascular health and cholesterol levels.

 

10) May Lower Cholesterol

The flavonoids in blueberries have been shown to help lower cholesterol, according to a study in Current Therapeutic Research. When it comes to cardiovascular health, reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol and raising HDL (good) cholesterol is a good thing. Of course, you can't eat an unlimited amount of blueberries—but one cup daily might be just what your doctor ordered. The same study found that eating blueberries helped with other health markers as well; it lowered blood sugar levels and improved overall antioxidant status in rats fed a high-fat diet. To reap these benefits, simply toss some berries into your morning cereal or smoothie.