Blueberries are one of the healthiest foods you can eat, chock full of vitamins and antioxidants. They’re also low in calories, which means you can grab a handful of blueberries whenever hunger strikes.
But it’s important not to eat too much of any food, even the healthy ones. Read on to learn about blueberry serving sizes and more.
Blueberry Serving Size and Benefits
One serving of blueberries is 1 cup. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults eat 2 cups of fruit each day.
Don’t let their small size deceive you — blueberries pack a lot of nutrition. A 1-cup serving of the berries provides just 84 calories, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), but for those calories, you get vital macronutrients and micronutrients.
According to the USDA, 1 cup of blueberries comes with about 3.5 grams (g) of fiber, which means a whole cup is 8 g. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommend that most adult men get 38 g of fiber per day and that women get 25 g.
Blueberries are a good source of vitamin C, with 14 milligrams per cup, according to the USDA.
Picking the Best Blueberries
Blueberries are ripe when picked, and for the best flavor, they can be refrigerated for up to two weeks, according to the USDA. Add fresh blueberries to oatmeal or smoothies, stir them into yogurt, or sprinkle them on a fresh green salad.
Frozen blueberries are a good choice when fresh are not in season. Frozen blueberries work best in smoothies, homemade sorbet, and whole-grain baked goods. You can also eat them as is for a cool treat on a warm day.
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