By Dr. Joseph Mercola | mercola.com
If you’re craving a sweet and juicy snack that’s as healthy as it is delicious, look no further than blueberries. Small but mighty, blueberries are a powerhouse of nutrition in the perfect bite-sized package. The top seven health benefits of blueberries include:
1. Brain health protection
Blueberries contain health-promoting anthocyanins — flavonoids found in fruits with blue, red or dark purple hues — as well as other beneficial phytochemicals, including caffeic acid, catechin, quercetin, kaempferol, and tannin. These phytochemicals boast antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anti-proliferative properties, and are believed to play a beneficial role in brain aging and neurodegenerative disorders.
2. Intestinal health protection
Thanks to the antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of polyphenols, blueberries can help reduce inflammation-inducing bacteria and increase the number of healthy bacteria in the gut, when combined with probiotics.
3. Heart-healthy properties
Research has shown the flavonoids in berries can help protect against heart disease by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, while enhancing capillary strength and inhibiting platelet formation. Blueberries can also help lower blood pressure when eaten in moderation.
4. Type 2 diabetes prevention
Studies show adding blueberries to your diet may be beneficial for the prevention of Type 2 diabetes, thanks to their ability to help improve insulin resistance. Fermented blueberries, in particular, are thought to be especially beneficial for Type 2 diabetes.
5. Cognitive benefits
When studying participants who enjoyed blueberry smoothies for breakfast, researchers found they performed better on mental tasks five hours after drinking the smoothie, compared to those who drank smoothies without blueberries in them. The study suggests that blueberries provide the brain with a boot in blood flow and oxygen, which leads to improved memory and concentration.
As a standard recommendation, you should keep your total fructose consumption below 25 grams per day, including fructose from fruit. If you have high blood pressure, insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease or other chronic diseases, you should limit your fructose to 15 grams or less per day until your condition has normalized.
One cup of blueberries has 7.4 grams of fructose, so if you limit your intake from other sources, you can eat a cup of blueberries a day and still be well within the healthy limits.
