The Serving Size For Blueberries

The standard serving size for fresh blueberries is 1 cup. Blueberries, often touted as a "super food" for their high antioxidant activity, are also rich in fiber and certain vitamins and minerals, while low in calories, fat and sodium. Increase your intake of blueberries by adding them to cereal, yogurt or a smoothie or mixing them into muffins or pancakes.

Serving Size

MyPyramid.gov lists a serving size of 1 cup for fresh or frozen blueberries and ½ c. dried blueberries. Either of these servings count as 1 cup of daily fruit servings. Women aged 19 to 50 should aim for 1.5 cups of fruit daily. Men aged 19 and over and women over 50 should aim for 2 cups of fruit daily. A diet rich in fruits may reduce your risk for stroke, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach and colorectal.

If you use the American Dietetic Association's Exchange Lists for Meal Planning for diabetes management or weight control, the serving size is ¾ cup fresh blueberries or 2 tbsp. dried blueberries. This serving size approximates the nutrient values for a fruit exchange, 60 calories and 15 g carbohydrate.

Energy Nutrients

According to the USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory, 1 cup fresh blueberries provides 84 calories and 21.5 g carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are the body's preferred energy source, especially for the brain. A serving also contains 3.5 g fiber, or 14 percent of the daily value, or DV. Fiber can lower total cholesterol and the "bad" low-density lipo-protein, LDL, that contributes to heart disease. Blueberries specifically have been used to treat both constipation and diarrhea. In addition to soluble and insoluble fiber, they contain tannins that can firm up loose stools.

Vitamins & Minerals

A serving of blueberries provides 36 percent DV for vitamin K, which is essential in forming proteins used in blood clotting. It also contains 24 percent DV for vitamin C. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and forms collagen, maintains capillaries, bones and teeth and aids in iron absorption. Blueberries contain small amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B-6 and vitamin A, at 2 to 4 percent DV.

Blueberries provide 25 percent DV for manganese, a mineral that aids in bone formation and protein, carbohydrate and cholesterol metabolism, according to the Institute of Medicine. Blueberries contain 2 to 4 percent DV for iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and copper.

Antioxidants

Among fruits and vegetables, blueberries have the highest antioxidant activity due to their content of anthocyanins, phenolic acids and other flavonoids, according to Ronald Prior, Ph.D., of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals, which have been linked to degenerative conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, immune dysfunction, cataracts and macular degeneration. Prior recommends a daily antioxidant intake of 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units. A 1-cup serving of commercially available blueberries has an ORAC value of 6,910 units.