Rambo Blueberries
Blueberries and Health
The antioxidant process plays an important role in both animals and plants. Antioxidants are capable of slowing or preventing oxidation of molecules that can lead to free radicals that can cause damage to cells. It is believed that supplemental use of antioxidants might prevent diseases and may prevent chronic illness associated with aging.
Antioxidants
There is a debate on what antioxidants are important for consumption and the interaction of different antioxidants. The research is ongoing, but one thing everyone agrees on is that fresh or natural antioxidants are probably the best source for antioxidants. A diet of fresh fruits and vegetables will promote good health and may reduce the effects of aging. The Center for Disease Control recommends a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per-day. Some believe these numbers of servings should be higher.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) article on anti-aging and high ORAC [Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity] http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/feb99/aging0299.htm
Center for Disease Contol and Prevention (CDC) http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/benefits/index.html
United States Department of Health and Human Services, USDA Dietary Guidlines (the guideline is 3.94MB pdf file) http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/pdf/DGA2005.pdf
Blueberry Research
Today Blueberries research is a continual process. Some researchers believe that other substances or a combination of substance(s) in Today, Blueberry research is relatively new and exciting. Some researchers believe that other substances or a combination of substances in Blueberries might prove to have additional health benefits from their consumption. Current research indicates that Blueberries have very high amounts of antioxidants; much higher than usually found in most fruits or vegetables (see the USDA chart below). Other beneficial compounds such as Lutein + Zeaxanthin are also found in Blueberries. These compounds are very powerful antioxidants and believed to filter the strong blue wavelength (strong blue wavelength, 250-500nm range, is thought to damage the eye retina) from the eye retina and help prevent age related macular degeneration.
The Chart below is from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
Blueberries, raw
Refuse: 5% (Stems and green or spoiled berries)
Scientific Name: Vaccinium spp.
NDB No: 09050 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)
| Nutrient |
Units |
Value per |
Std. |
1.00 X 1 cup |
1.00 X 50 berries |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Proximates |
||||||
Water |
g |
84.21 |
12 |
0.672 |
124.63 |
57.26 |
Energy |
kcal |
57 |
0 |
0 |
84 |
39 |
Energy |
kj |
240 |
0 |
0 |
355 |
163 |
Protein |
g |
0.74 |
12 |
0.019 |
1.10 |
0.50 |
Total lipid (fat) |
g |
0.33 |
12 |
0.018 |
0.49 |
0.22 |
Ash |
g |
0.24 |
12 |
0.005 |
0.36 |
0.16 |
Carbohydrate, by difference |
g |
14.49 |
0 |
0 |
21.45 |
9.85 |
Fiber, total dietary |
g |
2.4 |
4 |
0.124 |
3.6 |
1.6 |
Sugars, total |
g |
9.96 |
8 |
0.55 |
14.74 |
6.77 |
Sucrose |
g |
0.11 |
8 |
0 |
0.16 |
0.07 |
Glucose (dextrose) |
g |
4.88 |
8 |
0.275 |
7.22 |
3.32 |
Fructose |
g |
4.97 |
8 |
0.276 |
7.36 |
3.38 |
Lactose |
g |
0.00 |
8 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
Maltose |
g |
0.00 |
8 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
Galactose |
g |
0.00 |
8 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
Starch |
g |
0.03 |
4 |
0.027 |
0.04 |
0.02 |
Minerals |
||||||
Calcium, Ca |
mg |
6 |
12 |
0.785 |
9 |
4 |
Iron, Fe |
mg |
0.28 |
12 |
0.011 |
0.41 |
0.19 |
Magnesium, Mg |
mg |
6 |
12 |
0.197 |
9 |
4 |
Phosphorus, P |
mg |
12 |
12 |
0.508 |
18 |
8 |
Potassium, K |
mg |
77 |
6 |
5.45 |
114 |
52 |
Sodium, Na |
mg |
1 |
6 |
0.353 |
1 |
1 |
Zinc, Zn |
mg |
0.16 |
12 |
0.017 |
0.24 |
0.11 |
Copper, Cu |
mg |
0.057 |
12 |
0.014 |
0.084 |
0.039 |
Manganese, Mn |
mg |
0.336 |
8 |
0 |
0.497 |
0.228 |
Selenium, Se |
mcg |
0.1 |
2 |
0 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
Vitamins |
||||||
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid |
mg |
9.7 |
4 |
0 |
14.4 |
6.6 |
Thiamin |
mg |
0.037 |
12 |
0.006 |
0.055 |
0.025 |
Riboflavin |
mg |
0.041 |
12 |
0 |
0.061 |
0.028 |
Niacin |
mg |
0.418 |
12 |
0.089 |
0.619 |
0.284 |
Pantothenic acid |
mg |
0.124 |
12 |
0.008 |
0.184 |
0.084 |
Vitamin B-6 |
mg |
0.052 |
12 |
0 |
0.077 |
0.035 |
Folate, total |
mcg |
6 |
12 |
0.123 |
9 |
4 |
Folic acid |
mcg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Folate, food |
mcg |
6 |
12 |
0.123 |
9 |
4 |
Folate, DFE |
mcg_DFE |
6 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
4 |
Choline, total |
mg |
6.0 |
0 |
0 |
8.9 |
4.1 |
Betaine |
mg |
0.2 |
1 |
0 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
Vitamin B-12 |
mcg |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
Vitamin B-12, added |
mcg |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
Vitamin A, IU |
IU |
54 |
0 |
0 |
80 |
37 |
Vitamin A, RAE |
mcg_RAE |
3 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
Retinol |
mcg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) |
mg |
0.57 |
4 |
0.097 |
0.84 |
0.39 |
Vitamin E, added |
mg |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
Tocopherol, beta |
mg |
0.01 |
4 |
0 |
0.01 |
0.01 |
Tocopherol, gamma |
mg |
0.36 |
4 |
0.048 |
0.53 |
0.24 |
Tocopherol, delta |
mg |
0.03 |
4 |
0.009 |
0.04 |
0.02 |
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) |
mcg |
19.3 |
8 |
1.546 |
28.6 |
13.1 |
Lipids |
||||||
Fatty acids, total saturated |
g |
0.028 |
0 |
0 |
0.041 |
0.019 |
4:0 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
6:0 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
8:0 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
10:0 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
12:0 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
14:0 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
16:0 |
g |
0.017 |
0 |
0 |
0.025 |
0.012 |
18:0 |
g |
0.005 |
0 |
0 |
0.007 |
0.003 |
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated |
g |
0.047 |
0 |
0 |
0.070 |
0.032 |
16:1 undifferentiated |
g |
0.002 |
0 |
0 |
0.003 |
0.001 |
18:1 undifferentiated |
g |
0.047 |
0 |
0 |
0.070 |
0.032 |
20:1 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
22:1 undifferentiated |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated |
g |
0.146 |
0 |
0 |
0.216 |
0.099 |
18:2 undifferentiated |
g |
0.088 |
0 |
0 |
0.130 |
0.060 |
18:3 undifferentiated |
g |
0.058 |
0 |
0 |
0.086 |
0.039 |
18:4 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
20:4 undifferentiated |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
20:5 n-3 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
22:5 n-3 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
22:6 n-3 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
Cholesterol |
mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Amino acids |
||||||
Tryptophan |
g |
0.003 |
0 |
0 |
0.004 |
0.002 |
Threonine |
g |
0.020 |
0 |
0 |
0.030 |
0.014 |
Isoleucine |
g |
0.023 |
0 |
0 |
0.034 |
0.016 |
Leucine |
g |
0.044 |
0 |
0 |
0.065 |
0.030 |
Lysine |
g |
0.013 |
0 |
0 |
0.019 |
0.009 |
Methionine |
g |
0.012 |
0 |
0 |
0.018 |
0.008 |
Cystine |
g |
0.008 |
0 |
0 |
0.012 |
0.005 |
Phenylalanine |
g |
0.026 |
0 |
0 |
0.038 |
0.018 |
Tyrosine |
g |
0.009 |
0 |
0 |
0.013 |
0.006 |
Valine |
g |
0.031 |
0 |
0 |
0.046 |
0.021 |
Arginine |
g |
0.037 |
0 |
0 |
0.055 |
0.025 |
Histidine |
g |
0.011 |
0 |
0 |
0.016 |
0.007 |
Alanine |
g |
0.031 |
0 |
0 |
0.046 |
0.021 |
Aspartic acid |
g |
0.057 |
0 |
0 |
0.084 |
0.039 |
Glutamic acid |
g |
0.091 |
0 |
0 |
0.135 |
0.062 |
Glycine |
g |
0.031 |
0 |
0 |
0.046 |
0.021 |
Proline |
g |
0.028 |
0 |
0 |
0.041 |
0.019 |
Serine |
g |
0.022 |
0 |
0 |
0.033 |
0.015 |
Other |
||||||
Alcohol, ethyl |
g |
0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Caffeine |
mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Theobromine |
mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Carotene, beta |
mcg |
32 |
16 |
3.292 |
47 |
22 |
Carotene, alpha |
mcg |
0 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Cryptoxanthin, beta |
mcg |
0 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Lycopene |
mcg |
0 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Lutein + zeaxanthin |
mcg |
80 |
6 |
5.65 |
118 |
54 |
ORAC Value
Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a test that measures antioxidant levels and capacities in different foods. Foods that scores high on the ORAC test may protect cells from damage caused by oxygen radicals according to research. ORAC measures the total antioxidant power of foods and other chemical substances (see the table below). <Top>
USDA news on ORAC http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/1999/990208.htm
| Top-Scoring Fruits & Vegetables |
| ORAC units per 100 grams (about 3 ½ ounces) |
| Fruits | Vegetables | ||
| Prunes | 5770 | Kale | 1770 |
| Raisins | 2830 | Spinach | 1260 |
| Blueberries | 2400 | Brussels sprouts | 980 |
| Blackberries | 2036 | Alfalfa sprouts | 930 |
| Strawberries | 1540 | Broccoli flowers | 890 |
| Raspberries | 1220 | Beets | 840 |
| Plums | 949 | Red bell pepper | 710 |
| Oranges | 750 | Onion | 450 |
| Red grapes | 739 | Corn | 400 |
| Cherries | 670 | Eggplant | 390 |
| Kiwi fruit | 602 | Grapefruit, pink | 483 |
Two human studies show that eating high-ORAC fruits and vegetables or simply doubling intake of fruits and vegetables—both naturally high in antioxidants—raises the antioxidant power of the blood between 13 and 25 percent. The studies are published in the Journal of Nutrition (vol. 128, pp. 2383-2390) and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (vol. 68, pp. 1081-1087).
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition http://www.nutrition.org/
Journal of Nutrition http://jn.nutrition.org/
As Blueberries research advances, it is possible that many more beneficial properties might be discovered from blueberry consumption. Blueberries contain a large number of phytochemicals, polyphenol antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-neurodegeneratives.
