Blueberries are sweet, nutritious and wildly popular.

Often labeled a “superfood,” they are low in calories and incredibly good for you.

They’re so tasty and convenient that many people consider them their favorite fruit.

Here are 10 proven health benefits of blueberries.

The blueberry bush (Vaccinium sect. Cyanococcus) is a flowering shrub that produces berries with a bluish, purple hue — also known as blueberries (1Trusted Source).

It is closely related to similar shrubs, such as those that produce cranberries and huckleberries.

Blueberries are small — around 0.2–0.6 inches (5–16 millimeters) in diameter — and feature a flared crown at the end.

They are green in color when they first appear, then deepen to purple and blue as they ripen.

The two most common types are (2Trusted Source):

  • Highbush blueberries: The most common cultivated variety in the US.
  • Lowbush or “wild” blueberries: Typically smaller and richer in some antioxidants.

Blueberries are among the most nutrient-dense berries. A 1-cup (148-gram) serving of blueberries contains (3Trusted Source):

  • Fiber: 3.6 grams
  • Vitamin C: 16% of the Daily Value (DV)
  • Vitamin K: 24% of the DV
  • Manganese: 22% of the DV
  • Small amounts of various other nutrients

They are also about 85% water, and an entire cup contains only 84 calories, with 21.5 grams of carbohydrates.

Calorie for calorie, this makes them an excellent source of several important nutrients.

Summary

The blueberry is a very popular berry. It is low in calories but high in fiber, vitamin C and vitamin K.

Antioxidants protect your body from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage your cells and contribute to aging and diseases, such as cancer (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).

Blueberries are believed to have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all common fruits and vegetables (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).

The main antioxidant compounds in blueberries belong to a family of polyphenol antioxidants called flavonoids.

One group of flavonoids in particular — anthocyanins — is thought to be responsible for much of these berries’ beneficial health effects (9Trusted Source).

Blueberries have been shown to directly increase antioxidant levels in your body (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).

Summary

Blueberries may have the highest antioxidant capacity of all the popular fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids appear to be the berries’ antioxidant with the greatest impact.

Oxidative DNA damage is an unavoidable part of everyday life. It is said to occur in every cell in your body, every day (12Trusted Source).

DNA damage is part of the reason we grow older. It also plays an important role in the development of diseases like cancer (13Trusted Source).

Because blueberries are high in antioxidants, they can neutralize some of the free radicals that damage your DNA.

In one study, 168 people drank 34 ounces (1 liter) of a mixed blueberry and apple juice daily. After four weeks, oxidative DNA damage due to free radicals was reduced by 20% (14Trusted Source).

These findings agree with smaller studies that use either fresh or powdered blueberries (15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).

Summary

Several studies suggest that blueberries and blueberry juice reduce DNA damage, which is a leading driver of aging and cancer.

Oxidative damage is not limited to your cells and DNA.

It is also problematic when your “bad” LDL cholesterol is oxidized.

In fact, oxidation of “bad” LDL cholesterol is a crucial step in the heart disease process (17Trusted Source).

The antioxidants in blueberries are strongly linked to reduced levels of oxidized LDL. This makes blueberries very good for your heart (18Trusted Source).