Blueberries and anthocyanins linked to heart, brain and eye benefits
What it found
Eating blueberries and their anthocyanin pigments is linked to lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline in people, with supporting evidence from animal and lab studies.
The authors say more human clinical evidence is needed.
What they found
Studies in people
Heart disease risk
People who ate more anthocyanins had a lower risk of heart disease and death from heart problems. In three studies, higher anthocyanin intake was linked to about 25% lower risk of coronary artery disease.
Blood pressure and blood vessels
In people with high blood pressure, blueberry intake for 8 weeks reduced arterial stiffness and lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 5 to 6%. Some other clinical studies found little to no effect on blood pressure.
Type 2 diabetes risk
Among fruits studied, blueberries showed the strongest link to lower type 2 diabetes risk, with a 26% reduction. In clinical studies, blueberry or anthocyanin intake improved insulin sensitivity in some people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes.
Brain and memory
Older adults who ate more blueberries and strawberries had slower cognitive decline, with an estimated delay of about 2.5 years. Clinical studies in older adults found improved memory and task switching after blueberry intake.
Vision
In people with glaucoma, anthocyanin intake improved ocular blood flow and stabilized visual field defects. Some studies found no effect of blueberry juice on dark adaptation or visual acuity in healthy adults.
Animal and lab studies
Animal and lab studies
In rats and mice, blueberry intake improved insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance and cognitive performance. Lab studies showed anthocyanins can cross the blood-brain barrier and reach eye tissues.
What the authors conclude
“It can be safely stated that daily moderate intake (50 mg anthocyanins, one-third cup of blueberries) can mitigate the risk of diseases and conditions of major socioeconomic importance in the Western world.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that daily moderate intake of 50 mg anthocyanins, about one-third cup of blueberries, can mitigate the risk of diseases and conditions of major socioeconomic importance in the Western world.
- They state that more evidence, and particularly human clinical evidence, is needed to better understand the potential for anthocyanin-rich blueberries to benefit public health.
- They conclude that it is widely agreed that the regular consumption of tasty, ripe blueberries can be unconditionally recommended.
How it was done
The authors wanted to review the growing body of evidence on how blueberries and their anthocyanins affect human health, since these compounds may reduce the risk of major diseases like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and neurological decline.
They reviewed nearly 200 papers, over half published in the last decade, covering human observational studies, human clinical trials, and animal and lab research on blueberries and anthocyanins. The review looked at heart health, blood sugar control, brain function, vision and food processing.
What it can’t tell you
- Many of the studies in this review were in animals or cells, so their results cannot show what happens in people.
- Observational studies can show a link between blueberry intake and health outcomes, but they cannot prove that blueberries cause the effect.
- The dose dependency of clinical effects is mostly unclear, and the bioactivity of anthocyanin metabolites in the body is still mostly unknown.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Kentville Research and Development Centre, Canada (retired); University of East Anglia, United Kingdom; University of Arkansas, USA
The paper
- Title
- Recent Research on the Health Benefits of Blueberries and Their Anthocyanins
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Kalt W, Cassidy A, Howard LR, et al (2020). Recent Research on the Health Benefits of Blueberries and Their Anthocyanins. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.). doi:10.1093/advances/nmz065Free full textPubMed 31329250DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error