US JUICE ® Health Benefits of Blueberries

Blueberries Vacciniumangustifolium, V. corymbosum, V. asheii have been studied in research labs all across the country and the world, and there is growing evidence that blueberries could be powerful little disease fighters.  Here is what we have learned so far.

Researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Center (HNRCA) have found that blueberries rank #1 in antioxidant activity when compared to 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables.  Antioxidants help neutralize harmful by-products of metabolism called "free radicals" that can lead to cancer and other age related diseases.

Anthocyanin -- the pigment that makes the blueberries blue -- is thought to be responsible for this major health benefit.

At the USDA Human Nutrition Center (HNRCA) lab, neuroscientists discovered that feeding blueberries to laboratory rats slowed age-related loss in their mental capacity, a finding that has important implications for humans.  Again, the high antioxidant activity of blueberries probably played a role.

Blueberries may reduce the build up of so called "bad" cholesterol that contributes to cardiovascular disease and stroke, according to scientists at the University of California at Davis.  Antioxidants are believed to be the active component.

Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey have identified a compound in blueberries that promotes urinary tract health and reduces the risk of infection.  It appears to work by preventing bacteria from adhering to the cells that line the walls of the urinary tract.

A number of studies in Europe have documented the relationship between bilberries, the European cousin of blueberries and improved eyesight.  This is thought to occur because of the anthocyanin in the blue pigment which is also available in the blueberry.  One study in Japan documented that blueberries helped ease eye fatigue. (reference)  

At the recent American Chemical Society meeting, it was reported that a compound found in blueberries called pterostilbene has "the potential to be developed into a nutraceutical for lowering cholesterol, particularly for those who do not respond well to conventional drugs," reports food navigatotor (8/24/04). Study authors from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) indicate that the compound found in Vaccinium berries could be a "potent weapon in the battle against obesity and heart disease through its cholesterol-reducing potential."  Head researcher, Agnes M. Rimando and her associates "earlier showed that this compound may help fight cancer."  An abstract of the study is found on the Agricultural Research Service website, which also studied the presence of resveratrol and piceatannol.  According to the technical abstract, "These naturally occurring stilbenes, known to be strong antioxidants and to have cancer chemopreventive activity, will add to purported health benefits derived from consumption of these small fruits." Blueberries and disease prevention research on cancer inhibition, phytoestrogens, stroke, the urinary tract, ORAC score.

Eating blueberries may help you remember where you placed your car keys—important findings if you’d like to keep Alzheimer’s and heart disease at bay. The research was presented Monday, August 19, at the ACS national meeting in Boston. In one study, Jim Joseph, director of the neuroscience laboratory in the USDA Human Nutrition Center (HNRCA), fed blueberry extractions—the equivalent of a human eating one cup of blueberries a day—to mice and then ran them through a series of motor skills tests. He found that the blueberry-fed mice performed better than their control group counterparts in motor behavioral learning and memory, and he noticed an increase in exploratory behavior. When he examined their brains, he found a marked decrease in oxidative stress in two regions of the brain and better retention of signal-transmitting neurons compared with the control mice. The chemical that appears responsible for this neuron protection, anthocyanin also gives blueberries their color and might be the key component of the blueberry’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Blueberries, along with other colorful fruits and vegetables, test high in their ability to subdue oxygen free radicals. These oxygen radicals, which can damage cell membranes and DNA through a process known as oxidative stress, are blamed for many of the dysfunctions and diseases associated with aging. These findings could become increasingly important as the U.S. population ages. It is projected that by 2050, more than 30% of Americans will be over 65 and will have the decreased cognitive and motor function that accompanies advanced age. Joseph is currently testing the effects of blueberries on humans. Preliminary results show that people who ate a cup of blueberries a day have performed 5–6% better on motor skills tests than the control group.

Blueberries have been associated with positive physiological and cosmetic benefits for centuries ("Ethnobotany").  Here we list non scientific information which although not endorsed by the USHBC, may be of interest to researchers as a direction for further research.

Bibliography: Prior, RL , 998, 46:4107-4112 Howell, A.B. and V. Nicholi. New Engl. J. Med 1998, 339: 1085-1086

Nutrition Summary: The following summarizes some of the published research in the area of nutraceuticals and health.

The belief that food products have medicinal properties has been celebrated in folk medicine for centuries. Today food properties are being explored by the medical and scientific fields. Some cultures have long valued many naturally occurring substances believed to have preventative and therapeutic value. In the United States, nutraceuticals are part of a rapidly expanding area of biomedical research, generating considerable interest among consumers, manufacturers, and regulators alike. This is a progressive area; the field is continually conducting studies and discovering possible benefits.

Though blueberries themselves are not a cure-all, they contain a number of substances which are thought to have health benefits. These substances include, but are not limited to fructose, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Antioxidants thus far, seem to have the most conclusive role in the prevention/ delaying of such diseases as cancer, heart disease and the aging process however, a limited number of studies, especially long term and on human beings, are not available at this time.