When it comes to eating a healthy diet, we often think of what foods have the most or least of something. Blueberries are no exception to this thinking. If there’s one superfood that has gotten more attention than any other, it’s the blueberry. They have so many fantastic properties and are packed with a lot of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are also low in sugar and carbs, which makes them perfect for anyone on a diet or watching their weight. Because of all these great benefits, almost everyone is asking – can you eat too many blueberries?
Can You Eat Too Many Blueberries?
The question, “can you eat too many blueberries?” is one that’s been around for quite some time. At the same time, it makes perfect sense. Blueberries are an incredibly healthy food, and there’s no such thing as eating too many healthy foods! The short answer to the question is yes. You can eat too many blueberries and end up doing more harm than good. For starters, you should be aware of how many calories are in a blueberry. One cup of blueberries has about 87 calories. For comparison, one cup of grapes has around 89 calories.
Nutrition And Benefits Of Blueberries
Blueberries are often called a superfood because they are packed with nutrients and antioxidants that help with things like lowering cholesterol, fighting against cancer, and improving brain function. A single cup of blueberries will give you a ton of vitamins and minerals including:
- Vitamin C – 23% of your daily value. Vitamin K – 17% of your daily value.
- Folate – 12% of your daily value. Potassium – 10% of your daily value. Iron – 9% of your daily value.
- Fiber – 9% of your daily value. Manganese – 8% of your daily value.
- Vitamin B2 – 7% of your daily value. Vitamin B3 – 6% of your daily value.
- Vitamin E – 5% of your daily value.
What Problems With Eating Too Many Blueberries?
This May Cause Digestive Issues
It is very common to experience a bloated or full feeling after eating too many blueberries. Blueberries are very rich in fiber, which helps with digestion, but too much can cause bloating, discomfort and flatulence. The recommended amount is 2 cups per day, which is roughly the equivalent of 10 grams of fiber. If you are having problems with digestion after eating blueberries, try cutting back on how many you are eating, so that your body can get used to the fiber. This can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, so don’t give up if it doesn’t happen right away. You can also try to eat the blueberries with something else to help slow down the digestion process. Some foods that work well include oatmeal, yogurt, lentils, and whole wheat bread.
May Lead to Bad Breath
Eating too many blueberries might not just be a digestive issue, it could lead to bad breath as well. The high vitamin C content in blueberries is what gives it the ability to be such a great immune booster and antioxidant, but too many blueberries can lead to bad breath. If eating blueberries regularly is causing you to have bad breath, you can try cutting back on the amount you are eating or try to eat them with something else that might help hide the taste a bit better. Other foods that might help reduce the bad breath caused by blueberries include broccoli, cantaloupe, and other citrus fruits.
The Dark Purple Colour May Stain Teeth
If you love blueberries and eat them often, you might notice that your teeth are looking a bit darker than normal. This is because of the high amount of pigments in blueberries that can stain the teeth. If you are worried about how blueberries are affecting your teeth, you can try to brush your teeth more often or use an oral rinse. Blueberries are also rich in Vitamin C, which can help strengthen teeth, so don’t worry too much about this side effect. Just make sure you are taking care of your teeth by brushing and rinsing them regularly.
Comes With a High-Calorie Count
While blueberries are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and can be an extremely healthy addition to any diet, they do come with a high-calorie count. Blueberries are actually one of the fruits with the highest amount of calories. If you love blueberries, don’t worry too much about this. Just remember to stick to the recommended amount each day and you should be fine. You can also try to pair blueberries with some other foods to make them go further. Some good food combinations include blueberries with oatmeal, yogurt, granola, or blueberries with a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Combining foods can help make a larger serving of blueberries go further.
May Cause Bloating and Gas
When we eat food, the bacteria in our stomachs start to break down the food and release gas. Some people are more likely to have this happen than others. If you are sensitive to gas or bloating, you might want to be careful about how many blueberries you eat. Blueberries are a rich source of fiber, which is what causes the gas, so if you are sensitive to it, you probably already know that. If this is an issue for you, there are a few things you can do to help reduce the amount of gas caused by blueberries. The first thing you can do is try to eat the blueberries with something else to slow down the digestion process and help the gas settle. Some good food pairings include blueberries with oatmeal, yogurt, or granola. Another thing you can do is chew the blueberries thoroughly before swallowing because this can help to break down the fiber.
Pros Of Eating Blueberries
- Blueberries have many health benefits. They are incredibly low in calories and contain a good amount of fiber.
- They also contain a lot of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin C and K, folate, potassium, and iron.
- Blueberries also contain antioxidants which help fight against cancer and other diseases.
- Many people also enjoy the taste of blueberries and like to add them to many different recipes and meals.
- Blueberries are fairly easy to grow and produce. This means that they are both affordable and plentiful.
- They can be eaten by almost everyone and are often added to many different foods and dishes.
Cons Of Eating Too Many Blueberries
As we mentioned above, blueberries are incredibly healthy food. You can eat them and get a lot of great vitamins and minerals from them.
- If you eat too many blueberries, you can easily go over the daily recommended amount of sugar and get too many calories from them.
- This can lead to a host of health issues and diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and more.
- Blueberries are also relatively low in fiber. This means that if you eat too many blueberries, you might not get enough fiber in your diet.
- This can lead to problems like constipation and other digestive disorders.
Summing Up
Blueberries are a superfood that is packed with nutrients and antioxidants. So, the question, “can you eat too many blueberries?” might sound weird. After all, they are so incredibly good for you, how could anyone eat too many of them? While eating too many of them isn’t harmful, it isn’t very beneficial either. Blueberries are an incredibly healthy food, but if you eat too many of them, you could run into some problems.
FAQ’s
Q. What do blueberries look like?
Blueberries have a blue-purple color with a small white tip at the end of each berry. The skin is smooth and thin with a slight crunch to it when you bite into it.
Q. Where can I buy them?
A. You can most likely find blueberries in supermarkets or grocery stores across the country, but if you live near a farm or an orchard, you can probably find them for cheaper there as well.
Q. Are they good for you?
A. Yes! Blueberries have many health benefits including being low in fat, high in fiber, and rich in vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C and K, potassium, and iron as well as antioxidants that fight against cancer and other diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, etc.
