# Blueberries benefits **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 20, 2011, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541 "2011-11-20T12:39:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![anon11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@anon11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anon11)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/1 "2011-11-20T12:39:01Z")
Are they the only food containing the antioxidants that support brain health? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/2 "2011-11-20T14:40:20Z")
What “antioxidants” would those be? ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/3 "2011-11-20T14:55:19Z")
The same ones in green tea? I read, ‘drink enough green tea and you’ll live to be a hundred’, lol. Eat blueberries, too, and you just. won’t. die. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/4 "2011-11-20T15:20:35Z")
> [@anon11](#): > > Are they the only food containing the antioxidants that support brain health? No. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/5 "2011-11-20T17:00:10Z")
Just don’t go making whole-meal gums out of them. And don’t depend on the “blueberries” in your food being actual blueberries. [http://www.atlantanutrition.com/artificial-blueberries-or-the-real-thing](http://www.atlantanutrition.com/artificial-blueberries-or-the-real-thing) [http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=7EC06D27B1A945BE85E7DA8483025962](http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=7EC06D27B1A945BE85E7DA8483025962) ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/6 "2011-11-20T17:37:19Z")
On a related note, **Cecil** will be running a column on blue foods in about 2 weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/7 "2011-11-20T17:42:15Z")
Blueberries are a good source of antioxidants, but then again, so are many other foods (especially fruits and vegetables). They _might_ be a bit more concentrated in blueberries, but you probably eat a lot more of other plant foods than you do blueberries, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![anon11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@anon11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anon11)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/8 "2011-11-20T18:01:12Z")
Blueberries have the tag of superfood though. So they must contain more antioxidants then other foods and some rare benefits, right? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/9 "2011-11-20T18:45:30Z")
> [@anon11](#): > > Blueberries have the tag of superfood though. So they must contain more antioxidants then other foods and some rare benefits, right? Wrong. I think you know that having a “tag” does not necessarily make something so. Blueberries, especially wild blueberries, contain a good amount of several compounds often referred to as antioxidants, specifically being high in flavonoids, specifically flavonols. Those compounds are indeed [associated with a decreased risk of dementia](http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=7870311). Given the time of year, it should be noted that cranberries are even higher. Of course so is kale, onion, broccoli … apples, tea, wine are also important sources. And the evidence for turmeric providing some protection from dementia is quite strong. Foods high in other antioxidants (the carotenoids) also have some evidence of neuroprotection. No, nothing magical about blueberries. A good food to have as part of your mix, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![anon11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@anon11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anon11)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/10 "2011-11-21T15:00:11Z")
Do blueberries contain any compounds that other foods don’t? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/11 "2011-11-21T15:23:39Z")
> [@anon11](#): > > Do blueberries contain any compounds that other foods don’t? Blueness. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/12 "2011-11-21T15:29:07Z")
But they are really black. The “blueness” is a waxy layer on the surface. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/13 "2011-11-21T15:42:18Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > But they are really black. The “blueness” is a waxy layer on the surface. I don’t know about that. I eat a bowl of wild blueberries with plain oatmeal most mornings. Their true color is obvious in that form. Blueberries are purple, not black or blue. Why do so many purple things in nature get the label “blue”? Bluebonnets are purple as well. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/14 "2011-11-21T16:20:13Z")
I just planted two blueberry bushes in my yard. Preciously because of the health benefits they are supposed to have. I understand they aren’t a super food. But if they have any health benefits at all then I’m happy. Besides, I like blueberries on my cereal. 😉 Growing my own means I know they’ll be pesticide free. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/15 "2011-11-21T16:38:25Z")
Besides, there’s just something awesome about being able to walk out in the yard in berry season. (Missing my old house with the Blueberries, Currants, Bush Cherries and Black Raspberries in a 40’x40’ back yard with 7 trees over 30’ high to boot. My private fruitful urban jungle.) ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/16 "2011-11-21T17:02:31Z")
And don’t forget “blueberries covered in dark chocolate”. Best of all worlds for my “health”. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/17 "2011-11-21T17:09:16Z")
Are blueberries the “berry du jour” currently? No doubt a lot of various berries have decent antioxidant properties but I think you’d be best to have some of all of them in moderation. Acai, Pomegrantate, Cherry, Blueberry, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/18 "2011-11-21T17:20:48Z")
My retina specialists recommends blueberries & blackberries. Along with fish & leafy green vegetables–which are not as good on cereal… ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/19 "2011-11-21T18:36:28Z")
Blueberries work as well as cranberries for helping with UTIs, so there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541/20 "2011-11-21T19:43:12Z")
According to the Smurfs app on my I-Pad, some blueberries are indeed magical. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blueberries-benefits/603541.md?page=2)