Blueberry Juice For High Blood Pressure


Many people like to drink berry juice. Most of the juices are flavorful and have proved beneficial for blood pressure. You may be wondering about blueberry juice. Therefore, let’s answer the question, is blueberry juice good for high blood pressure?

Blueberry juice is good for high blood pressure due to its bioactive compounds. One study found the antioxidant anthocyanin in blueberry juice to lower BP 8%. Blueberry juice contains more Anthocyanins than most fruits. Blueberry juice provides a high percentage of vitamin C and B vitamins beneficial for BP.

This article will compare all the nutrients and antioxidants in blueberry juice and explain why they’re beneficial for blood pressure. In addition, I’ll list five studies indicating how blueberry juice lowered blood pressure and by how much.

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Disclaimer: Some of links in this article are affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon associate and eBay partner, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Nutrients in Blueberry Juice

The following are the number of nutrients contained in blueberry juice.

NutrientBlueberry Juice
(8 oz)
Calories84
Fat0.5 g
Carbohydrates21 g
Protein1.1 g
Sodium4.5 mg
Sugar15 g
Fiber3.6 g
Thiamin0.05 mg
Riboflavin0.06 mg
Niacin0.61 mg
B60.07 mg
Folate9.07 mcg
Vitamin C14.3 mg
Vitamin E0.84 mg
Vitamin K28.4 mcg
Calcium11.34 mg
Copper0.09 mg
Iron0.41 mg
Magnesium9.07 mg
Phosphorus18.14 mg
Potassium113.40 mg

Many of the nutrients provided by blueberry juice have been proven to benefit high blood pressure. Blueberry juice contains a higher percentage of the following nutrients. I’ll explain how they’ve been shown to help lower blood pressure.

Vitamin C

Researchers at John Hopkins University School of Medicine found taking 500 mg of vitamin C daily lowered blood pressure1. Oregon State University reported people who supplement with vitamin C lowers blood pressure in people with normal or high blood pressure2.

One way vitamin C is helpful with high blood pressure is how it helps the kidneys to remove excess sodium and water from the body. This helps the blood vessels to relax lowering blood pressure.

Potassium

Potassium helps flush the body of excess sodium and keeps fluid retention lower. It also helps the blood vessels to relax improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure3.

Fiber

Blueberry juice contains 13% of the daily value of fiber. The Jama Internal Medicine Network published an analysis of 24 previous studies examining dietary fiber and its effect on blood pressure. They found fiber supplementation lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

The blood pressure reductions were larger in people over 40 years old or any aged person with high blood pressure. They concluded increasing fiber intake may helped contribute to the prevention of high blood pressure4.

How can fiber benefit high blood pressure?

  • Dietary fiber reduces the glycemic index of foods lessening an insulin response.
  • Fiber enhances insulin sensitivity.
  • Fiber improves vascular endothelial function resulting in healthier blood vessels.
  • Fiber increases the absorption of minerals.
  • Fiber may favor other cardiovascular risk factors like cholesterol.

B Vitamins

Blueberry juice contains a wide variety of B vitamins including B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6, and B9 (folate).

Riboflavin helps convert folate to a form required for the transformation of homocysteine to methionine. This is important because too much homocysteine in the blood is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure.

One study researched 680 adults from previous studies. People with high blood pressure supplemented with riboflavin and showed a lower concentration of homocysteine and lower blood pressure5.

Folic acid (B9) has been shown to help relax blood vessels and increase blood flow. A study which involved 3,247 women suggested using folic acid supplements may lower the risk of high blood pressure6.

An analysis of previous studies found supplementing with folic acid for a minimum of six weeks can lower systolic blood pressure and improve the function of the blood vessels7.

Smoothie Tip: Adding frozen blueberries, instead of ice, enhances the flavor and nutrient content. The blender I recommend has a 6 blade, multi-tiered shaft in the center. Check it out on Amazon by clicking right here, Nutri Ninja BL685 with Auto-iQ Technology.

Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidants

Blueberries contain a wide variety of bioactive compounds, including many antioxidants. The antioxidants have been associated with protecting the body against chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and blood pressure8.

The bioactive compounds are represented by the following:

  • Flavonoids
  • Anthocyanidins
  • Flavonols
  • Phenolic acids
  • Hydrozycinnamic acids

The Anthocyanins listed above have been shown to lower blood pressure 8%. Blueberries contain more Anthocyanins than most of the common fruits.

FruitDescriptionAnythocyanins
(mg/100 g)
AppleRed peel12
Banana 0
Blackberry 245
BlueberryHighbush387
BlueberryLowbush487
Cantaloupe 0
CherrySweet122
GrapePurple peel120
Kiwi 0
NectarineYellow peel15
Orange 0
PlumBlack peel116
PlumRed peel20
Raspberry 92
Strawberry 21
Watermelon 0

Nutrient Sources910 

Read more about how the Anthocyanins in blueberry juice are beneficial for blood pressure in the last study further down in the article. 

Studies Indicating How Blueberry Juice Lowers Blood Pressure

Study

A study published in 2017 examined the effects of blueberry juice on Cardiometabolic biomarkers associated with type 2 diabetes.The participants drank either 8 ounces of blueberry juice or a juice without blueberries, every day for one week.

After just one week a trend was started for lowering systolic blood pressure in the group who drank the blueberry juice. The researchers think the lowering of blood pressure may have been due to increased nitric oxide production11.

Study

In 2019 Harvard Health reported a study by the Journals of Gerontology. Forty healthy men were given either a blueberry drink or a placebo drink looking and tasting the same without the blueberries.

After one month the blueberry juice group lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 5 mmHg. In addition, their blood vessel dilation improved by approximately 2% improving the flow of blood ((Harvard Health Publishing: Blueberries may help lower blood pressure)).

Study

The Journal of Nutrition released a study in 2010 examining blueberries and cardiovascular risk factors in obese men and women. The participants consumed an 8-ounce blueberry drink once in the morning and again later in the day.

After eight weeks, systolic blood pressure lowered by 6 mmHg and diastolic by 4 mmHg. The decreases in blood pressure were seen in people on blood pressure medication and in those who weren’t12.

Study

In 2015 a study was published which consisted of 48 women with elevated and high blood pressure. The researchers examined the effects of blueberry consumption on blood pressure and artery stiffness.

The participants consumed either blueberry powder or a placebo powder every day for eight weeks. The blueberry group lowered blood pressure from 138/80 mmHg to 131/75 mmHg. No significant change was observed in the non-blueberry group ((National Center for Biotechnology Information: Daily blueberry consumption improves blood pressure and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal woman with pre- and stage 1-hypertension)).

Study

The Anthocyanins found in blueberry juice have been shown to benefit high blood pressure. Research of over 150,000 people for a 14-year period examined Anthocyanin intake and blood pressure ((National Center for Biotechnology Information: Potential Factors Influencing the Effects of Anthocyanins on Blood Pressure Regulation in Humans: A Review)).

The people in the study who consumed the most anthocyanin, mostly from blueberries and strawberries, lowered their risk of high blood pressure by 8%13.

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The nutrients and scientific studies are why blueberry juice made the top 5 fruit juices for lowering blood pressure. Find out the other four in my blog post, Best Fruit Juices For High Blood Pressure.

Read Next – More Fruit Juice Articles!

Pomegranate Juice Lowers Blood Pressure

Watermelon Juice For High Blood Pressure

Cranberry Juice For Blood Pressure

14 Drinks To Lower Blood Pressure (Proven By Science)

 

  1. John Hopkins Medicine: Big Doses of Vitamin C May Lower Blood Pressure []
  2. Oregon State University: High Blood Pressure []
  3. American Heart Association: How Potassium Can Help Control High Blood Pressure []
  4. Jama Internal Medicine: Dietary Fiber and Blood Pressure []
  5. Circulation: Riboflavin Lowers Homocysteine in Individuals Homozygous for the MTHFR 677C→T Polymorphism []
  6. Journal Of The Australian College Of Midwives: Folic acid supplement use and the risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia []
  7. National Center for Biotechnology Information: High-dose folic acid supplementation effects on endothelial function and blood pressure in hypertensive patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials []
  8. National Center for Biotechnology Information: Bioactive Compounds of Strawberry and Blueberry and Their Potential Health Effects Based on Human Intervention Studies: A Brief Overview []
  9. Nutrition Value: Blueberry juice []
  10. National Center for Biotechnology Information: Recent Research on the Health Benefits of Blueberries and Their Anthocyanins []
  11. BMC: The effects of 100% wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) juice consumption on cardiometablic biomarkers: a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial in adults with increased risk for type 2 diabetes []
  12. National Center for Biotechnology Information: Blueberries Decrease Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Obese Men and Women with Metabolic Syndrome []
  13. National Center for Biotechnology Information: Habitual intake of flavonoid subclasses and incident hypertension in adults []

Kevin Garce

Kevin Garce is a Certified Health Coach who encourages people by informing them on blood pressure topics important to them. His years of research and knowledge inspire people to achieve their goals. Read more here About Me

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