Blueberries can be a healthy option for patients trying to lose weight
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Key takeaways:
- Participants who consumed blueberries had decreased food cravings and tended to preserve their lean body mass.
- Researchers are planning a longer-term study.
CHICAGO — There is no harm in adding wild blueberries to a weight-loss regimen — in fact, they may even help to curb food cravings and preserve lean body mass, according to results of a small, randomized study presented at NUTRITION.
Mark Kern, PhD, RD, CSSD, professor of exercise and nutritional sciences at San Diego State University and principal investigator of the study, told Healio that there were not a lot of data supporting the idea that blueberries could have an impact on weight, but “eating more fruits and vegetables" in general is “linked to lower body weight,” he said. Therefore, it made sense to study their role in weight loss.
The study included 40 men and women aged 18 to 50 years with overweight or obesity who were randomly assigned to consume either frozen wild blueberries mixed with yogurt or an isocaloric control food — in this case, yogurt mixed with artificially flavored blueberry syrup. For 8 weeks, the participants were counseled about weight loss and received daily text messages — what Kern called “a mix of encouragement to adhere to a lower energy intake and tips for how to avoid excess energy consumption.” The researchers did not regulate the rest of participants’ diet, Kern said. They measured participants’ body composition, food cravings and physical activity at baseline and at the end of the study.
Results showed that both interventions promoted weight loss (P < .001), although there was no significant difference between them. The researchers found that body fat mass decreased for both groups (P = .039), and they saw an increase in cravings control (P < .003) and a decrease in cravings for sweet (P < .002) and savory (P = .008) foods.
“While they didn’t lose more weight than non-blueberry consumers, they seemed to be more satisfied and didn’t feel like they had cravings for eating food as often, which is a good thing,” Kern said.
Kern also noted that the weight loss in participants who ate blueberries did not include the loss of lean body mass. Those participants “tended to preserve their lean body mass,” he said, and the researchers hope to pursue a longer-term study that will investigate whether blueberry consumption “can preserve lean body mass in people who often lose it through the normal processes of aging.”
The most important take-home is that people “shouldn’t be afraid to eat blueberries while they’re trying to lose weight,” Kern said. “It’s a healthful food that can be incorporated into a weight-loss regimen — and, maybe, preserve their lean mass while they’re doing it.”
Perspective
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According to medical research, blueberries are believed to have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all common fruits and vegetables. The main antioxidant compounds in blueberries belong to a family of polyphenol antioxidants called flavonoids. One group of flavonoids in particular — anthocyanins — is thought to be responsible for much of these berries’ beneficial health effects. According to the Cleveland Clinic, one cup of blueberries provides the following recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals:
- vitamin C: 24%;
- vitamin K: 36%;
- manganese: 25%; and
- dietary fiber: 14%.
They may help lower blood pressure, prevent heart disease, improve memory, aid in exercise recovery, and more. Blueberries are also high in soluble fiber, which helps your gut remove bile and manage cholesterol — a known risk factor of cardiovascular health. They may also help with glucose processing, weight loss and insulin sensitivity. In fact, the American Diabetes Association calls blueberries a diabetes superfood. Blueberries have a low glycemic index (GI) of 53, which means they raise blood glucose levels more slowly than foods with a high GI number. Blueberries might aid in the efficient processing of glucose. A University of Michigan study found that feeding the rats powdered blueberry lowered abdominal fat, triglycerides and cholesterol. It also improved fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity. Blueberries are Heart-Check certified through the American Heart Association Heart-Check Food Certification program. A diet high in antioxidants, such as those found in blueberries, is associated with fewer signs of aging and better skin quality due to their ability to scavenge free radicals in the skin and promote healing.
References:
- University of Michigan. Blueberries may help reduce belly fat, diabetes risk. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090419170112.htm. Accessed July 12, 2024.
- Cleveland Clinic. The Health Benefits of Blueberries. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-blueberries. Accessed July 12, 2024.
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Hickey E, et al. LB03-10-24. Presented at: NUTRITION; June 29-July 2, 2024; Chicago.
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