Eating blueberries each day may offer benefits for heart health, especially for postmenopausal women. In a clinical study, researchers explored whether daily blueberry consumption could help reduce blood pressure in women diagnosed with pre-hypertension or stage 1 hypertension.
The study involved 48 postmenopausal women who participated in an eight-week trial. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group consumed 22 grams of freeze-dried blueberry powder each day, an amount equal to about one cup of fresh blueberries. The other group received the same amount of placebo powder. Aside from the supplement, both groups maintained their usual eating and exercise habits throughout the study.
Researchers measured each participant’s blood pressure at the beginning of the study, again after four weeks, and once more at the end of the eight-week period. While the four-week check showed little change, more meaningful improvements appeared by the end of the study. Women who consumed the blueberry powder experienced an average reduction of about 5% in systolic blood pressure, the top number that reflects the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats. Diastolic blood pressure, the bottom number that measures pressure between heartbeats, declined by roughly 6% on average.
In contrast, the group receiving the placebo showed no significant changes in blood pressure during the same time period. These findings suggest that regularly consuming blueberries may help support healthier blood pressure levels, possibly due to the fruit’s natural plant compounds that benefit vascular function.
Source:
Johnson S, Figueroa A, Navaei N, et al. Daily blueberry consumption improves blood pressure and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women with pre- and stage 1-hypertension: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, March; 115 (3): 369-377.
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