• heart disease
• lung disease
• cancer
• signs of aging (wrinkles, sagging skin, etc)
• memory loss
• urinary tract infections

Powerful Antioxidants

Blueberries contain 14 mg of Vitamin C and 0.8 mg Vitamin E per 1 cup, as well as high levels of anthocyanins and phenolics. These vitamins and compounds are antioxidants.  ½ cup blueberries can provide the same amount of anitoxidants as 5 servings of other 
beneficial fruits and vegetables such as peas, carrots, apples, squash and broccoli.

Antioxidants are powerful compounds found in certain foods (like blueberries) that help to counteract the effect of free radicals on your body. Free radicals are harmful molecules that disrupt cellular function in your body. UVA and UVB rays,  tobacco smoke, pollutants, metabolic processes and atmospheric irritants all cause oxidation, which generates free radicals in the body. Free radicals cause internal inflammation in your body, leading to heart, lung and gastrointestinal disease, and to some cancers. They also contribute to signs of aging, such as dull skin and wrinkles. As the body ages, it's natural ability to defend itself against free radical damage lessens. Antioxidants can give you immune system a boost in fighting free radical damage.

For more detailed information on antioxidants in blueberries, including scientific research summaries, click here.

Improved Memory and Brain Function

Research conducted at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center has found that when fed controlled amounts of blueberries, laboratory animals  experienced significant decreases in age-related memory loss. One experiment, which fed a blueberry extract to mice (in an equivalent amount to a human eating 1 cup of blueberries a day) caused significant increases in motor skills, including behavioral learning and memory, increased exploratory behavior, improved retention of neurons in the brain, and decreased oxidative stress in the brain. Ongoing human research trials in which participants eat 1 cup of blueberries a day have found a 5 to 6 percent improvement in motor skills versus the control group that had no blueberries (poor them).

For scientific research excerpts concerning blueberries and brain function, click here.

Urinary Tract Health

Blueberries also contain compounds called proanthocyanidins. Rutgers Univeristy researchers have found that these compounds combat urinary tract infections by preventing bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract.