I have been looking for low carb snacks for years. As a type 1 diabetic, a lot of what I eat affects my daily life. Anything from a banana to a slice of pizza can send my blood sugar on a roller coaster ride. I wear a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), which measures blood sugar between layers of skin with a tiny device on my arm, so I receive real-time feedback on my blood sugar levels almost 24/7. This provided valuable insight into how my diet affected my levels. I ate peanut butter every day to see how my body reacted in the past (and even tested The best blood glucose meter for easy reading of blood sugar levels). Recently, I tried eating blueberries every day for two weeks to see how it affected my body and blood sugar.
Meet the Expert: Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, founder and author of NutritionStarringYOU.com All Easy Pre-Diabetes Recipes
Appreciated for their low glycemic index and high antioxidant content, this delicious bite-sized berry can be used as a delicious ingredient in a variety of baked goods, mixed into smoothies, garnished with yogurt bowls, or used on its own. So I added about a cup to my daily routine for a little over two weeks (eating them straight up and on their own as a snack) to see if I was getting the purported benefits, of which there seemed to be a lot.
“New research is also emerging on the role of blueberries in gut health and exercise recovery,” explains Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, founder of NutritionStarringYOU.com and author of Nutrition Starring. All Easy Pre-Diabetes Recipes
Research Pincus noted that eating blueberries every day may produce health benefits in as little as two weeks.
Although their seasonality varies depending on your location, they can be found in supermarkets year-round.
What happened when I ate blueberries every day for two weeks
As a diabetic, my biggest benefit from eating blueberries every day is the effect it has on my blood sugar (aka blood sugar). Using them as my afternoon snack instead of a carb-heavy protein bar allows me to maintain more stable blood sugar.
My CGM showed the effect of blueberries on my overall blood sugar, mainly that eating around the cup resulted in fewer spikes and more even numbers compared to some of my alternative diets. It’s worth noting that I do need to inject insulin (I opt for an insulin pump) when I eat anything with carbs (note: carbs, not just sugar).
While I’m not a fan of ultra-processed foods, I do like some low-calorie, low-carb options every now and then. Swapping these for blueberries makes me feel more satisfied, less burdened, and more nutritious.
Health Benefits of Blueberries
Aside from blood sugar, I didn’t notice too many purported benefits (more details below), including being less sick (in fact, I got the flu a few days after completing this experiment). But research does point to the following health benefits of eating blueberries:
Rich in antioxidants
“Antioxidants play an important role in reducing inflammation, and the polyphenols found in blueberries are powerful antioxidants that may prevent or reverse the damage to cells caused by the aging process,” says Pincus. Antioxidants also support the immune system, so eating blueberries on a consistent basis could theoretically help your body fight off disease.
Helps heart health
“Wild blueberries, in particular (the smaller ones), have 33 percent more dark purple-blue anthocyanins than regular blueberries and twice the amount of antioxidants, which help protect the cardiovascular system and lower blood pressure,” says Pincus.
Improve cognitive abilities
“Research shows that wild blueberries can improve cognitive performance in children and adolescents and may slow cognitive decline with age,” Pincus said. But more research is needed.
Helps maintain stable blood sugar
This is something I witnessed firsthand. Within a few hours of eating one cup, I noticed a slight spike in my blood sugar (which is not the case when choosing carb-dense foods like bananas). Pincus notes that blueberries may help improve insulin sensitivity, which helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels, and research supports this.
blueberry nutrition
according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100 grams of blueberries or 3.5 ounces (about 1/2 cup) contains:
Is it possible to eat too many blueberries?
You can have too much of a good thing. “Blueberries contain fiber, which most people don’t consume in adequate amounts; however, consuming too much may cause gas, bloating, or discomfort in people who are not used to a high-fiber diet,” Pincus notes. Blueberries contain oxalates, natural plant compounds that bind minerals, and most people don’t care about oxalates, she said. “However, those with a history of kidney stones or a tendency to have kidney stones may not want to overdo it.” Finally, she points out that while blueberries are good in moderation, they contain natural sugar, so eating too many may affect blood sugar.
bottom line
Eating blueberries every day made my blood sugar more stable after eating blueberries, but that was pretty much the main benefit I saw in my brief experiment. I do eat them every week and have done so for years, so maybe it was a gradual change that was too gradual for me to notice. Regardless, blueberries are one of my favorite foods and I will continue to enjoy them as part of a nutritious eating plan.
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