Wild Blueberries May Support Cardiometabolic Health, Gut Health and Cognitive Performance

Key points

• A major new scientific review concluded that routinely eating wild blueberries may meaningfully support cardiometabolic health, including better blood-vessel function and blood pressure.
• Researchers also identified potential gut-health benefits, as studies reported higher levels of beneficial bacteria after daily blueberry consumption.
• The review associated blueberry intake with stronger cognitive performance, including memory and processing speed, reinforcing the fruit’s superfood credentials.

Whether you scatter them over yoghurt, add them to a lunchtime salad, eat them with peanut butter as a small snack or enjoy a handful after dinner, blueberries suit almost any moment of the day. For devoted blueberry fans who eat them from morning until night, researchers have especially welcome news.

In January, researchers released a large-scale scientific review bringing together decades of cross-disciplinary research into the effects of wild blueberries on cardiometabolic health. Compared with standard blueberries, wild blueberries are smaller and contain more anthocyanin antioxidants in each serving.

Wild blueberries and cardiometabolic health

Published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, the review grew out of a symposium arranged by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America in Bar Harbor, Maine. The location was fitting, as the state produces around 99% of the country’s wild blueberries. Although the association helped bring the event together, the researchers independently assessed decades of clinical evidence.

During the symposium, 12 experts in areas including nutrition and food science agreed to work together on a paper assessing 12 human clinical trials carried out across four countries over 24 years. They also examined dozens of associated clinical, translational and mechanistic studies of both wild and cultivated blueberries, each investigating the fruit’s cardiometabolic effects.

"Wild blueberries have been valued by people for thousands of years," said Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, PhD, professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Maine and co-lead author of the study. "Traditional knowledge recognized their value, and today's research continues to explore how the unique composition of wild blueberries may support health when eaten as part of an overall balanced diet."

Blood vessels, gut health and cognitive performance

The review found the clearest association with health outcomes involved blueberries and improved vascular function. In particular, they appeared to support "endothelial function", described by the researchers as "how well blood vessels relax and respond to stimuli." Some studies recorded this response within hours of just one serving, or roughly one cup daily.

The findings extended beyond blood vessels. Because blueberries contain fibre and polyphenols, the researchers said they may also benefit the gut microbiome. They referenced a six-week clinical study in which adults consuming 25 grams of freeze-dried wild blueberry powder each day experienced an increase in Bifidobacterium, a beneficial probiotic, in the gut.

Simple ways to add blueberries to meals

If you want straightforward ways to eat more blueberries, they are one of the simplest fruits to work into meals and snacks. Research indicates that about one cup a day could be enough to produce benefits. Consider:

• Mixing them into Greek yoghurt with honey and chopped nuts
• Blending them into smoothies with other fruit and nut butters
• Sprinkling them over salads with goat’s cheese and toasted walnuts or pecans
• Folding them into pancake or muffin batter for a naturally sweet lift
• Stirring them into porridge or overnight oats with chia seeds
• Freezing them for a snack to eat directly from the freezer

The review further indicated that wild blueberries may help people with "elevated cardiometabolic risk", with some of the studies assessed reporting "meaningful improvements" in blood pressure and blood-sugar management. Finally, the researchers observed that wild blueberries could support cognitive performance, including faster thinking and improved memory, suggesting that the fruit genuinely merits its superfood label.

"What makes wild blueberries remarkable is that they contain numerous polyphenols and nutrients and don't appear to exert their health benefits through just one mechanism," Sarah A. Johnson, PhD, associate professor at Florida State University and lead author of the review, added. "The evidence suggests these berries may support multiple biological pathways relevant to cardiometabolic health, from blood vessel function to inflammation and oxidative stress, with effects that can vary from person to person. Recent research on the role of the gut microbiome in determining their health benefits is exciting and may help researchers determine ways to support the gut microbiome to enhance their health benefits."

Reviewed by

Lauren Manaker MS, RDN, LD, CLEC: Lauren is an award-winning registered dietitian and the author of three books, with more than 22 years of experience in the field.