There’s always room for Pie…even if it’s a day after actual “Pie Day!” Happy 3.14 day or more commonly known as Pie Day! There are SO many different types of pie: cream based, fruit based, my actual favorite happens to be pizza, but I want to indulge today on what I call one of nature’s M&M’s and my husband’s favorite, the ever so popular and delicious blueberry pie! But first…let’s talk about nutrition and break down this lovely little treat full of antioxidants.
Blueberries are so prevalent in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and most people who have these acidic soil loving fruits on their property may need to fight and defend the animal thieves like birds, deer, and other sly animals devouring the superfood berries (insert image of child covered in blueberry juice stained fingers, teeth, and clothes). They are so good...it's hard not to eat just one, even while you are picking them off of the branches.
Blueberries are incredibly rich in antioxidants, polyphenols, and other big fancy words that are great for your body! It’s one of the most positively scientifically researched fruits, showing the wealth of these nutrient dense and health benefiting fruits. In some stories (as this has been somewhat of a loose legend), during World War II, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) Pilots were given blueberry juice [also some stories claim to bilberry (1), which is a cousin to the blueberry] before their night missions to help them see in the dark. But there is so much more to these berries than the theorized night vision power, it’s possibly the number one antioxidant fruit for preventing free radical damage aka cell damage which can lead to diseases and cancers…something everyone wants to prevent.
Now, let’s get into the benefits. Also worth noting, there is a lot of scientific evidence to support that blueberries are healthy, but the dose, prevention and treatment of disease does not have firm recommendations, other than an increase in foods such as blueberries and anthocyanins improves health. I was able to find this amazing article and their conclusion is, “It can be safely stated that daily moderate intake (50 mg anthocyanins, one-third cup of blueberries) can mitigate the risk of diseases and conditions of major socio-economic importance in the Western world” (2). This particular study was loaded with other studies that I read to support the health benefits below in the Benefits of Blueberries section. There are so many more, but here are some really great ones:
Main Properties of Blueberries (leaves and fruit)
Cooling Energy– cools the body and decreases metabolism (this can be good) to help clear heat. Imagine it’s a hot, summer day in PNW (when blueberries are in peak season), and you need to cool down, blueberries naturally have this effect inside the body, even inside your mouth, allowing a balance from the summer heat. (3)
Sour Taste –drying and acts like an astringent and is refreshing. This taste helps dry mucous (lining of the gut, running nose with seasonal allergies) and tightens tissues and muscles, therefore toning them. This also can stop perspiration (hot summer months), losing fluids including bouts of diarrhea and frequent urination. The particular sour taste also stimulates digestion as well as metabolism. When digestion is stimulated with sour or bitter notes, fat metabolism and stimulation of bile from the gallbladder and liver start to work, helping remove heat and further digest your foods. (3)
Benefits of Blueberries
Antioxidant:
“Fourteen antioxidant markers were detected, and 12 of these, including 7 anthocyanins, 3 flavonols, 1 hydroxycinnamic acid, and 1 iridoid glycoside, were identified “ (4)
Anti-inflammatory
“Effects of blueberry in the context of hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome and supplemented with doses between 20 and 50 g of wild blueberry powder, equivalent to 1 to 2 cups of fresh blueberries daily for 6 to 16 wk (2 —see study for further details related to this section)
Cardiovascular
Decrease coronary artery disease (5), fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction (6)
Hypertension (multiple studies with increase in anthocyanin intake decreased risk of HTN by ~8-10%, (2,6,7), and greatest risk reduction in women aged ≤60 years (8, 9)
Obesity
In a 24 year study with an increase in flavonoids coincided with weight maintenance/decrease in weight for both adult men and women (10)
Diabetes
“subjects with type 2 diabetes by improving dyslipidemia, enhancing antioxidant capacity, and preventing insulin resistance.” with consumption of anthocyanins from sources such as blueberries (11)
Cholesterol
Decreased LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and increased HDL cholesterol with blueberries being consumed twice a day (11)
Cognition in Aging
“The risk for Alzheimer disease and other dementias is associated with cardiovascular and metabolic health risk biomarkers, including obesity and insulin resistance in midlife (13-15). Inasmuch as anthocyanins are protective against CVD and T2DM risks, greater anthocyanin intake may be associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer-type dementia in late life.” (2)
Cognition in Children
“Cognitive benefits were detected in school-aged children in an acute study design where performance on a list-learning task was improved 2 h after consuming a single dose of blueberry powder but not placebo (16). Improvement in executive and long-term memory in children was associated with their intake of blueberry powder, with evidence of a dose-response (15 compared with 30 g powder) (17). In a crossover trial with children 7- to 10-y old, a single 30-g dose of blueberry powder produced enhanced executive performance on a timed and graded executive task (18).” (2)
Eyes
Vision–some benefit with consumption , but further research needed (2)
Potential with cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (12)
Nutrient Rich (~1 cup*) (bowes & Church)
Vitamin A 145 IU
Vitamin C 19 mg
3.6 grams dietary Fiber (soluble & insoluble fiber)
Potassium 129 mg
Folic Acid 8.7 mcg
*slight variance in nutrients depending on quality, type, etc.
Blueberries are a food I hope you can enjoy on a more regular basis, if not for the amazing flavor they possess, but for their sheer diverse health benefits that can only improve one’s body. It is a very versatile food and can be quickly frozen after picking, fresh, powdered, juiced, and even dried. For those wanting to help with easier bowel movements, enjoying them fresh can help act like a laxative, and for those who may be having diarrhea, enjoying them dried can help bind loose stools (2). Whatever path you choose, should you need some help, please reach out and I can find delicious ways to add blueberries to your daily eats.
If you want to tackle growing this lush and delicious fruit plant yourself, check out some of these resources: OSU MG Site and WSU MG Site. I love sharing these resources as they are packed full of great tips, ways to support your garden, and how to navigate pests, too. Plus, one of my passions is gardening and connecting with fellow master gardeners, I’m now clocking in at 12 years as one. 🙌 🙌
So, let me leave you with some sweetness and one way to celebrate 3.14 day, or any day! This is my recipe that I make yearly for my amazing husband’s birthday pie, candle optional! I hope you can enjoy it and a bowl full of healthy benefiting blueberries!
References:
(2) Kalt W, Cassidy A, Howard LR, Krikorian R, Stull AJ, Tremblay F, Zamora-Ros R. Recent Research on the Health Benefits of Blueberries and Their Anthocyanins. Adv Nutr. 2020 Mar 1;11(2):224-236. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmz065. PMID:
31329250; PMCID: PMC7442370.
(3) Tierra, Lesley. (2003). Healing with the Herbs of Life. Crossing Press.
(4) Ma C, Dastmalchi K, Flores G, Wu SB, Pedraza-Peñalosa P, Long C, Kennelly EJ. Antioxidant and metabolite profiling of North American and neotropical blueberries using LC-TOF-MS and multivariate analyses. J Agric Food Chem. 2013 Apr 10;61(14):3548-59.
(5) Grosso G, Micek A, Godos J, Pajak A, Sciacca S, Galvano F, Giovannucci EL. Dietary Flavonoid and Lignan Intake and Mortality in Prospective Cohort Studies: Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis. Am J Epidemiol. 2017 Jun 15;185(12):1304-1316.
(6) Cassidy A, Bertoia M, Chiuve S, Flint A, Forman J, Rimm EB. Habitual intake of anthocyanins and flavanones and risk of cardiovascular disease in men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016 Sep;104(3):587-94. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.133132. Epub 2016 Aug 3. PMID: 27488237; PMCID: PMC4997299.
(7) Bertoia ML, Rimm EB, Mukamal KJ, Hu FB, Willett WC, Cassidy A. Dietary flavonoid intake and weight maintenance: three prospective cohorts of 124,086 US men and women followed for up to 24 years. BMJ. 2016 Jan 28;352:i17. doi: 10.1136/bmj.i17. PMID: 26823518; PMCID: PMC4730111.
(8) Cassidy A, O'Reilly ÉJ, Kay C, Sampson L, Franz M, Forman JP, Curhan G, Rimm EB. Habitual intake of flavonoid subclasses and incident hypertension in adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Feb;93(2):338-47.
(9) Lajous M, Rossignol E, Fagherazzi G, Perquier F, Scalbert A, Clavel-Chapelon F, Boutron-Ruault MC. Flavonoid intake and incident hypertension in women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016 Apr;103(4):1091-8. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.115.109249. Epub 2016 Mar 2. PMID: 26936332.
(10) Bertoia ML, Mukamal KJ, Cahill LE, Hou T, Ludwig DS, Mozaffarian D, Willett WC, Hu FB, Rimm EB. Changes in intake of fruits and vegetables and weight change in United States men and women followed for up to 24 years: analysis from three prospective cohort studies. PLoS Med. 2015;12:e1001878.
(11) Li D, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Sun R, Xia M. Purified anthocyanin supplementation reduces dyslipidemia, enhances antioxidant capacity, and prevents insulin resistance in diabetic patients. J Nutr. 2015 Apr;145(4):742-8. doi: 10.3945/jn.114.205674. Epub 2015 Feb 4. PMID: 25833778.
(12) Sesso HD, Rautiainen S, Park SJ, Kim E, Lee IM, Glynn RJ, Buring JE, Christen WG. Intake of blueberries, anthocyanins, and risk of eye disease in women. J Nutr. 2024 Mar 1:S0022-3166(24)00114-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.02.028. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38432561.
(13) Whitmer RA, Sidney S, Selby J, Johnston SC, Yaffe K. Midlife cardiovascular risk factors and risk of dementia in late life. Neurology. 2005;64:277–81.
(14) Craft S. The role of metabolic disorders in Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia: Two roads converged. Arch Neurol. 2009;66:300–5.
(15) Razay G, Vreugdenhil A, Wilcock G. The metabolic syndrome and Alzheimer disease. Arch Neurol. 2007;64:93–6.
(16) Whyte AR, Williams CM.. Effects of a single dose of a flavonoid-rich blueberry drink on memory in 8 to 10 y old children. Nutrition. 2015;31:531–4. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
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(18) Whyte AR, Schafer G, Williams CM.. The effect of cognitive demand on performance of an executive function task following wild blueberry supplementation in 7 to 10 years old children. Food Funct. 2017;8:4129–38.
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