Why blueberry is good for you?

Introduction

Blueberries are delicious blue-colored berries and belong to the genus Vaccinium. It includes more than 450 plant species grown in all parts of the world. This superfood is rich in flavonoids, notably anthocyanins, caffeic acid, flavanols, and hydroxycinnamates with potential functional properties that is why blueberry is good for you (1).

Blueberries are consumed as fresh fruit or in the form of processed foods like syrup, jams, candy, ice cream, and other beverages. Other items like Blueberries pie, soup, tart, cobbler, smoothie, pancake, muffin, cup-cake, waffles, fruit pulp, yogurt are also widely enjoyed. Blueberries are generally cultivated in North America and European regions (2).

Nutritional value of Blueberries

According to USDA blueberries contains 57 kcal energy/ 100 g. Water content is around 84.21 g.
The human nutrition center recommended its inclusion in the diet because it contains water, carbohydrates, proteins, fat, dietary fiber, vitamin C, etc. (3).

Why blueberry is good for you

Let us see the health benefits of blueberry. The anthocyanine and polyphenols make these berries a very healthy superfood.

1. Antimicrobial

Studies suggested that blueberries are rich in phenolic compounds like chlorogenic acid, quercetin, ellagic acid, and quercetin-3-galactoside.

These are the active antimicrobial compound, therefore, blueberries are used as a natural antimicrobial in food products (4).

2. Anticancer and antioxidant

The anthocyanins, Pterostilbene, proanthocyanidins, blueberry husks, probiotics, and vitamin C has chemopreventive properties.

Therefore eating blueberries protects against colon cancer, multiple myeloma, breast, liver, prostate, pancreas, and lung cancer (5,6).

Besides this blueberry can slows the progress of cancer. Studies suggest that it inhibits angiogenesis, reduction of inflammation, Protects DNA damage (7).

3. Weight loss

Blueberry has an adequate amount of anthocyanins and polyphenols that significantly play an effective role in inhibiting body weight gain.

It also decreases serum cholesterol by reducing the resistance to insulin, inhibiting adipogenesis and cell proliferation (8,9).

4. Protects vision

Blueberry is rich in polyphenol and anthocyanin. Which improves human retinal capillary endothelial function. Reduces oxidative damage, alteration of retinal enzyme activity, and stops inflammation (10).

5. Regulate hypertension

Eating blueberries help in managing blood pressure. Blueberries contain flavonoids and other plant derivatives. Blueberries may help to boost nitric oxide, a chemical that affects the cells that line blood vessel walls (11).

6. Antidiabetic

Blueberries are rich in anthocyanins. Studies suggest that it lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM) (12).

Blueberry has a beneficial effect on insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism (13).

7. Prevents oxidative stress

Bioactive compounds like anthocyanins in blueberries (Mv-3-glc and Mv-3-gal) prevents the progression of diseases caused by oxidative stress. Therefore this could be applied in the production of functional food ingredients (14).

8. Boost memory

Anthocyanins and flavonoids present in blueberry directly act on cognitive function. Which may help in preventing age-related and pathological degenerative processes of brain Alzheimer’s disease (15).

9. Protects from UTIs

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections in developing countries, especially in women. Blueberry has anti-adhesive properties that prevent binding bacteria to the lining of the urinary tract (16).

10. Protects from Hepatitis C virus (HCV)

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of viral hepatitis and currently infects approximately 170 million people worldwide. oligomeric proanthocyanidin in blueberry can inhibit RNA expression of the hepatitis C virus (17).

11. Healthy heart

Anthocyanins help in inhibiting cyclophosphamide-induced cardiac injury and improved oxidative stress and cardiomyocyte apoptosis (18).

12. Strong Bones

Eating blueberries help in keeping the bone healthy and strong. Studies suggest that the anthocyanins present in the berries promote bone formation. These compounds increase the BMD (bone mass density) and protect from calcium loss (19).

13. Glowing skin

Blueberries help in the protection of the skin against UV-induced skin photoaging and improve skin health (20).

Healthy Recipes of Blueberry

1. Blueberry smoothie

Grind Blueberries with banana, pineapple, and yogurt make this smoothie and serve as a drinking meal.

2. Salad

Blueberries can be used in a salad with other delicious fruit like watermelon, strawberry, pineapple, raspberry

3. Almond- blueberry smoothie

Blueberries can be used to prepare delicious smoothies with almonds and apples.