NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
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Blueberry

Vaccinium corymbosum / Vaccinium angustifolium

Anthocyanin-rich berry for vascular and brain health

Moderate evidence 🍎Fruits

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Moderate
Research weight
Citations
8 verified / 8
Classification
Fruits
❝
What the evidence says. Several controlled trials; effects real but modest or context-dependent.

Nutrition per serving 1 cup (148 g)

148gSERVING
  • Water 124.6 g84%
  • Sugars 14.7 g10%
  • Fibre 3.6 g2%
  • Other carbs 3.1 g2%
  • Protein 1.1 g1%
  • Fat 0.5 g0%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).
Vitamin K24%Manganese22%Vitamin C16%Fibre13%Copper9%Vitamin E6%Potassium2%
One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
84 kcal1.1 g protein3.6 g fiber0.5 g fat
NutrientPer serving% daily value
Vitamin K29 mcg24%
Manganese0.5 mg22%
Vitamin C14 mg16%
Fibre3.6 g13%
Copper0.08 mg9%
Vitamin E0.84 mg6%
Potassium114 mg2%
Total sugars15 g29%
Folate8.9 mcg2%
Magnesium8.9 mg2%

Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗

What is Blueberry?

Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum / Vaccinium angustifolium) is a fruit used for improves endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation) in controlled trials. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Moderate. Blueberries are among the most anthocyanin-dense common fruits, and human evidence is strongest for vascular benefits: meta-analyses and double-blind RCTs show a daily ~1-cup intake improves flow-mediated dilation, an endothelial-function marker, with anthocyanin metabolites mediating the effect. Large U.S. prospective cohorts link higher blueberry/anthocyanin intake to modestly lower type 2 diabetes risk, and meta-analyses of anthocyanin/berry intake show small reductions in LDL-cholesterol and insulin resistance, mainly at higher doses over longer trials. Cognitive trials in older adults suggest small gains in episodic memory and executive function, but results are inconsistent across domains. Importantly, pooled RCTs find no reliable blood-pressure-lowering effect for whole-group analyses, and most data come from supplements, surrogate endpoints, and short trials rather than hard clinical outcomes. Cohort associations cannot prove causation and may reflect healthier overall diets. Overall the weight of human evidence is moderate and supportive of blueberries as part of a healthy diet rather than a therapeutic intervention.

Purported Benefits

✓Improves endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation) in controlled trials
✓Associated with lower type 2 diabetes risk in large prospective cohorts
✓May modestly improve memory and executive function, especially in older adults
✓May lower LDL-cholesterol and improve cardiometabolic markers as part of anthocyanin/berry intake
✓Provides dietary fibre and a low glycaemic load relative to many fruits
✓Good source of vitamin K and manganese

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
A typical serving is 1 cup (148 g) of fresh berries; trials showing vascular and cognitive effects used roughly 1 cup/day fresh equivalent (about 150 g, or 24 g/day freeze-dried powder) over several weeks to 6 months.
Active Compounds
Anthocyanins (malvidin-, delphinidin-, cyanidin-3-glucosides)Chlorogenic acid and other phenolic acidsFlavonols (quercetin)ProanthocyanidinsVitamin C (ascorbic acid)Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone)ManganesePectin and other soluble/insoluble fibrePotassium

Safety & Cautions

Generally very safe as a food. Blueberries are a FODMAP/fructose source and large amounts may cause GI discomfort in sensitive people; they contribute natural sugar (~15 g per cup) so portion matters for those managing glycaemia, though their glycaemic load is modest. They contain vitamin K1, so people on warfarin should keep intake consistent to avoid affecting INR. True blueberry allergy is rare. Concentrated anthocyanin extracts/supplements are not equivalent to whole fruit and lack the same safety record. No clinically important grapefruit-type CYP3A4 interaction is established for blueberries. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Blueberry with any medicine.

Key Studies

Meta-analysis Deng 2024 ✓ PubMed
Systematic review and meta-analysis of blueberry interventions found significant improvement in flow-mediated dilation (+1.50%) and reactive hyperemia index; no significant effect on systolic BP or LDL/HDL.
Meta-analysis Guo 2016 ✓ PubMed
Meta-analysis of prospective cohorts: higher anthocyanin and berry intake associated with ~15-18% lower type 2 diabetes risk.
Meta-analysis Zhu 2016 ✓ PubMed
Meta-analysis of 6 RCTs found no significant effect of blueberry supplementation on systolic or diastolic blood pressure.
Meta-analysis Daneshzad 2018 ✓ PubMed
Meta-analysis of 19 RCTs: anthocyanin supplementation significantly improved HOMA-IR and reduced total and LDL cholesterol (at >300 mg/day for >12 weeks); no effect on blood pressure.
RCT Rodriguez-Mateos 2019 ✓ PubMed
Daily 1-month wild blueberry intake increased flow-mediated dilation and lowered 24-h ambulatory systolic BP; anthocyanin metabolites mediated the vascular benefit.
RCT Curtis 2019 ✓ PubMed
1 cup/day blueberries for 6 months improved endothelial function (FMD +1.45%) and arterial stiffness in metabolic syndrome participants; insulin resistance and blood pressure were unchanged.
RCT Miller 2018 ✓ PubMed
90-day double-blind RCT in older adults: freeze-dried blueberry (24 g/day) improved aspects of executive function (task-switching) versus placebo; no gait/balance benefit.
Cohort Muraki 2013 ✓ PubMed
In three large cohorts (>187,000), higher blueberry intake was associated with lower type 2 diabetes risk (HR 0.74 per 3 servings/week).
8 sources cited · 8 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about Blueberry

What is Blueberry used for?

Blueberry is most often taken for Improves endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation) in controlled trials, Associated with lower type 2 diabetes risk in large prospective cohorts, May modestly improve memory and executive function, especially in older adults, May lower LDL-cholesterol and improve cardiometabolic markers as part of anthocyanin/berry intake. Anthocyanin-rich berry for vascular and brain health

Does Blueberry work — what does the evidence say?

Moderate evidence. Several controlled trials; effects real but modest or context-dependent. Blueberries are among the most anthocyanin-dense common fruits, and human evidence is strongest for vascular benefits: meta-analyses and double-blind RCTs show a daily ~1-cup intake improves flow-mediated dilation, an endothelial-function marker, with anthocyanin metabolites mediating the effect. Large U.S. prospective cohorts link higher blueberry/anthocyanin intake to modestly lower type 2 diabetes risk, and meta-analyses of anthocyanin/berry intake show small reductions in LDL-cholesterol and insulin resistance, mainly at higher doses over longer trials. Cognitive trials in older adults suggest small gains in episodic memory and executive function, but results are inconsistent across domains. Importantly, pooled RCTs find no reliable blood-pressure-lowering effect for whole-group analyses, and most data come from supplements, surrogate endpoints, and short trials rather than hard clinical outcomes. Cohort associations cannot prove causation and may reflect healthier overall diets. Overall the weight of human evidence is moderate and supportive of blueberries as part of a healthy diet rather than a therapeutic intervention.

What is the typical dose of Blueberry?

A typical serving is 1 cup (148 g) of fresh berries; trials showing vascular and cognitive effects used roughly 1 cup/day fresh equivalent (about 150 g, or 24 g/day freeze-dried powder) over several weeks to 6 months.

Is Blueberry safe? Any cautions or side effects?

Generally very safe as a food. Blueberries are a FODMAP/fructose source and large amounts may cause GI discomfort in sensitive people; they contribute natural sugar (~15 g per cup) so portion matters for those managing glycaemia, though their glycaemic load is modest. They contain vitamin K1, so people on warfarin should keep intake consistent to avoid affecting INR. True blueberry allergy is rare. Concentrated anthocyanin extracts/supplements are not equivalent to whole fruit and lack the same safety record. No clinically important grapefruit-type CYP3A4 interaction is established for blueberries.

How many studies support Blueberry?

NutriDex cites 8 sources for Blueberry, graded "Moderate".

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum / Vaccinium angustifolium): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 26 Jun 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/blueberry

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_blueberry,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum / Vaccinium angustifolium): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/blueberry},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-06-26}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

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