Blueberries Nutritional Profile

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Blueberries are conveniently both delicious and good for you. Sometimes called "superfruits" for their powerful antioxidant properties, these nutritious little berries range in flavor from sweet to slightly tart. According to the "Encyclopedia of Healing Foods," 30 different species of blueberries exist, with cultivated and wild varieties having slightly different nutritional profiles.

Basic Nutrition

Blueberries are naturally low in calories, with 57 calories in a 3.5 oz. serving. They also are low in fat, containing less than a gram per serving. A good source of dietary fiber, blueberries supply 2.4 g in a serving. However, they also contain more sugar than many other fruits, with 10 g in the same amount -- half fructose and half glucose. Wild blueberries have less sugar, with 6 g.

Vitamins and Minerals

The vitamin and mineral content of blueberries is more modest than that of other berries. A 3.5 oz. serving supplies 10 g of vitamin C, or between 11 and 13 percent of the recommended daily allowance for adults. In contrast, blackberries provide 21 g of vitamin C. Blueberries also supply 54 IU of vitamin A, which is between 1 and 2 percent of the RDA. The vitamin A and C content of wild blueberries is slightly higher than that of cultivated berries. In addition, blueberries supply 19 mcg of vitamin K, or about 27 percent of the daily value, and small amounts of folate and choline.

Phytonutrients

The reason to call blueberries "superfruits" is because of their phytonutrient content. Phytonutrients are naturally occurring substances that help protect plants from disease and fungi when they are growing. When you ingest fruits such as blueberries, you reap the benefits of their phytonutrients. Blueberries supply anthocyanins, a subclass of flavonoids, which give them their deep bluish-purple hue. Anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants with proven effectiveness against free radicals -- errant molecules that can damage cells, leading to cancer, heart disease and other types of inflammation. Blueberries also contain lutein, a phytonutrient associated with lowered risk of macular degeneration and cataracts in the elderly.

Considerations

In 2011, blueberries made the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" for their high pesticide content, so buy them organic as often as possible. Select smooth, firm, dark blueberries for the best taste and nutritional value, and eat them raw within a week of purchase or freeze them for use all year round. Do not wash them before freezing, but clean and rinse after thawing. Freezing will slightly change their texture, making them more suitable for cooking or smoothies.