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5 Health Benefits of Blueberry Juice

5 Health Benefits of Blueberry Juice

May. 18th, 2023

Blueberry juice is a delicious drink that can be enjoyed at any time of the year. While Blueberry juice is not as popular as orange or apple juice, it still ranks in the top 10 juices that people most enjoy globally.1

Historically, blueberry juice was first made as a natural medicine to treat those who had a cough or digestive issues. During this time, people also believed the tales that blueberries were “star berries” sent down to help relieve children’s hunger during the famine. By the early 20th century, blueberries began to be cultivated by farmers and sold to the public.2

Today, blueberries are known for their myriad of health benefits. Blueberries are packed with antioxidants and have been proven to boost immunity. Blueberries can also boost your cardiovascular health, as well as help the brain improve its memory.2

Here are 5 health benefits of blueberry juice that you can get by enjoying this tasty drink.

Low in Calories

A single serving of blueberry juice is estimated to contain 92 calories.3 Blueberry juice is also low in fat, however, the number of carbohydrates will depend on the brand you buy. Some brands of blueberry juice will add sugars and other additives that can increase the number of carbohydrates in the drink. It is best to drink natural blueberry juice for the best health benefits and the lowest number of calories.

High in Vitamin C

Blueberries are high in vitamin C, with one serving (or 6 oz) of blueberries estimated to provide 24% of the recommended daily value. However, it is important to note that some blueberry juices contain less vitamin C than blueberries or about 2% of the recommended daily value.4 The amount of vitamin C in blueberry juice will depend on how it was made and how much of the squeezed blueberries are in the juice mixture.

Vitamin C plays a role in the production of collagen, which helps keep your bones, skin, and hair healthy. Vitamin C is also responsible for aiding the body with wound healing as well as preventing iron deficiency.5

Improves Systolic Blood Pressure

One study in 2017 looked at the relationship between blueberry juice and adults who were at risk for type 2 diabetes. The researchers found that those who drank blueberry juice had a significant decrease in their systolic blood pressure.6

Systolic blood pressure is the blood pressure in the arteries after your heart beats. A high systolic blood pressure can put you at risk for heart, brain, kidney, and eye damage. Occasionally, a high systolic blood pressure can lead to heart disease, heart failure, strokes, and brain problems. It’s important to maintain your blood pressure with a good diet, and have your doctor check your blood pressure once a year to ensure you’re eating healthy.7

Maintain Strong Bones

Another one of the benefits of blueberry juice is that they contain phytochemicals that can keep your body healthy. One study found that drinking blueberry juice will decrease the amount of oxidative stress that causes damage to the bones that is known to lead to osteoporosis, a condition that causes weak and brittle bones.8

Additionally, blueberry juice contains approximately 31mcg of vitamin K.3 Vitamin K plays a role in building bones and bone tissue, as well as can influence the production of osteocalcin, which can prevent weak bones. It’s suggested that women should consume 110 mcg of vitamin K a day because they are more prone to hip fractures as they age.9

High in Manganese

Another blueberry juice benefit is it contains roughly .5 milligrams of manganese in one cup, which is 25% of the daily recommended value.10 Manganese is an essential trace element that is found in the bones, kidneys, liver, and pancreas.

Manganese plays many roles, such as helping to build bones that can protect the body against osteoporosis. It also is a component of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase, which can help fight free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can cause disease.11 Additionally, manganese plays a role in the digestive process, prevents blood clotting, and helps the body with hormone balance.

Ways to Drink More Blueberry Juice

If you’re looking for more ways you can drink blueberry juice, here are some ideas:

  • Drink fresh blueberry juice
  • Add blueberry juice to your water
  • Add blueberry juice to your smoothies
  • Top desserts with blueberry juice
  • Add blueberry juice to your yogurt
  • Bake blueberry bars with blueberry juice
  • Top your meats/seafood with blueberry juice
  • Drink tea with blueberry juice added to it
  • Make a salad dressing with blueberry juice as one of the ingredients

Drink Blueberry Juice Today!

Now that you know some blueberry juice benefits, we encourage you to add this drink to your diet.

Here at Saber Healthcare, our dietary team works to create menus that help our residents achieve their nutritional goals. We focus on meeting the daily recommended vitamins and nutrients while making our food taste great.

To learn more about Saber Healthcare and what we offer, click here.

Saber Healthcare is an organization dedicated to providing consultant services to long term care providers. This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to be seen as professional advice. Please consult with a medical expert before relying on the information provided.

Sources

  1. “A Global Look at Juice.” Fona Internal Inc. 18 September 2017. Accessed 11 May 2023. Link: https://www.fona.com/articles/2017/09/a-global-look-at-juice
  2. Lamb, Diane. “Blueberries Super Antioxidant.” The University of Vermont. 15 July 2010. Accessed 11 May 2023. Link: https://www.uvm.edu/news/story/blueberries-super-antioxidant#:~:text=Blueberry%20juice%20was%20an%20early,of%20a%20five%2Dpointed%20star.
  3. Frey, Malia. Rifkin, Mellisa, ed. “Blueberry Juice Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits.” Very Well Fit. Last updated 20 February 2022. Accessed 11 May 2023. Link: https://www.verywellfit.com/blueberry-juice-nutrition-facts-4172364#:~:text=One%20serving%20of%20blueberry%20juice%20contains%20approximately%2092%20total%20calories.
  4. “Blueberries Are Filled With More Than Just Antioxidants.” Bai. 10 July 2014. Accessed 11 May 2023. Link: https://www.drinkbai.com/blog/health-and-wellness/blueberries-filled-just-antioxidants#:~:text=Blueberry%20juice%20contains%20with%20antioxidants,including%20heart%20disease%20and%20cancer.
  5. “5 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Vitamin C.” Saber Healthcare Group. 4 September 2020. Accessed 11 May 2023. Link: https://www.saberhealth.com/news/blog/5-vitamin-c-benefits
  6. Stote, K.S., Sweeney, M.I., Kean, T. et al. The effects of 100% wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) juice consumption on cardiometablic biomarkers: a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial in adults with increased risk for type 2 diabetes. BMC Nutr 3, 45 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-017-0164-0
  7. “High Blood Pressure Symptoms and Causes.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last Updated 18 May 2021. Accessed 11 May 2023. Link: https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/about.htm#:~:text=Blood%20pressure%20is%20measured%20using,your%20heart%20rests%20between%20beats.
  8. Domazetovic, Vladana et al. “Blueberry Juice Antioxidants Protect Osteogenic Activity against Oxidative Stress and Improve Long-Term Activation of the Mineralization Process in Human Osteoblast-Like SaOS-2 Cells: Involvement of SIRT1.” Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 9,2 125. 1 Feb. 2020, doi:10.3390/antiox9020125 Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7070538/
  9. “Vitamin K.” Harvard School of Public Health. March 2023. Accessed May 2023. Link: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-k/
  10. Anne, Melodie. “What Are the Food Nutrients Found in Blueberries?” Hearst Newspapers, Week&. Last updated 22 May 2022. Accessed 11 May 2023. Link: https://www.weekand.com/healthy-living/article/food-nutrients-found-blueberries-18009975.php
  11. “Manganese.” Icahn School of Medicine , Mount Sinai. Accessed 11 May 2023. Link: https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/manganese