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

Health Benefits

• One cup of blueberries provides 24 percent of a person recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
• Blueberries contain iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and vitamin K.
• Vitamin C, vitamin A, and the various phytonutrients in blueberries function as powerful antioxidants that may help protect cells against damage from disease-linked free radicals.
• Blueberries can also improve a person’s short-term memory and motor coordination.
• Blueberries also contain copper, beta-carotene, folate, choline, vitamins A and E, and manganese.

Nutrition

One cup of fresh blueberries contains:

• 84 calories
• 0 g of cholesterol
• 1.1 g of protein
• 0.49 g of fat
• 21.45 g of carbohydrate
• 3.6 g of dietary fibre
• 14.74 g of total sugars