Blueberries and cherries: small measured effects, and not on the same fruit

The strongest blueberry result is small. A meta-analysis of 14 randomized trials in 632 healthy people found blueberries raised flow-mediated dilation, a test of artery function, by 1.11 percentage points (95% CI 0.50 to 1.72), across short trials that used anything from powder to whole fruit. The same analysis found no change in blood pressure. The cherry evidence is about tart cherries, which are not the sweet cherries in the composition data below. Across 4 trials with 392 participants, tart cherry products lowered serum uric acid by a standardized mean difference of -0.22 (95% CI -0.43 to -0.01), a modest effect with substantial heterogeneity. In 19 trials in trained athletes after muscle-damaging exercise, tart cherry juice improved recovery of maximal strength at every time point measured and lowered the inflammation marker CRP for up to 48 hours. Heterogeneity ran from 69 to 93% and certainty from very low to moderate, and there was no significant pooled effect on muscle soreness. We found no trial comparing the two fruits head to head.

How much is actually in it

• USDA sample data put vitamin C at about 8 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g) in raw blueberries and 10 mg in dark sweet cherries, with each ranging roughly twofold across 8 samples. — USDA Foundation Foods samples, raw fruit (n = 8 samples each) Evidence E source
  Blueberries 8.06 mg (range 4.30 to 11.1), sweet cherries 10.39 mg (range 5.9 to 16.0) per 3.5 oz (100 g)
• Per 100 g, dark sweet cherries carry about 8.4 g of glucose and 5.5 g of fructose against 4.4 g and 4.9 g in blueberries, and cherry glucose varies widely between samples. — USDA Foundation Foods samples, raw fruit (n = 8 samples each) Evidence E source
  Cherries glucose 8.36 g (range 5.7 to 14.36), fructose 5.51 g. Blueberries glucose 4.42 g (range 3.38 to 6.39), fructose 4.94 g

What a real portion looks like

• US survey coding counts a cup of raw blueberries or raw cherries as 150 g, one blueberry as 2 g and one cherry as 7 g. — US dietary survey food coding Evidence E source
  1 cup 150 g for both, 1 berry 2 g, 1 cherry 7 g, unspecified quantity 75 g

What your body absorbs

• In a crossover RCT, only 1.1% of wild blueberry anthocyanins and 0.2% of chlorogenic acid from 0.88 oz (25 g) of freeze-dried powder were bioavailable, with metabolites peaking from 2 to about 9 hours. — Human subjects, single dose of 25 g freeze-dried wild blueberry powder with a meal, 24 h sampling Evidence B source
  Bioavailability 1.1% for anthocyanins and 0.2% for 3-CGA

What cooking and storage change

• In a crossover trial in 9 adults eating 8.8 oz (250 g) of blueberries, whole fruit left 108 urinary metabolite signals higher than juice, against 8 higher after juice, at 2 hours. — 9 healthy subjects, 250 g fresh blueberries whole or juiced, single dose (n = 9) Evidence B source
  108 ions higher after whole fruit versus 8 after juice (urine, 2 h)

What it does to your health

• A meta-analysis of 14 RCTs in 632 healthy people found blueberry intake improved flow-mediated dilation by 1.11 percentage points but did not change blood pressure. — Healthy individuals in 14 randomized trials, 632 participants (n = 632) Evidence A source
  FMD +1.11% (95% CI 0.50 to 1.72), SBP -0.11 mmHg (95% CI -2.82 to 2.60), DBP -0.46 mmHg (95% CI -2.80 to 1.87)
• A meta-analysis of 4 RCTs with 392 participants found tart cherry intake lowered serum uric acid only modestly, by a standardized mean difference of 0.22. — 392 participants in 4 randomized trials (8 comparisons) (n = 392) Evidence A source
  SMD -0.22 (95% CI -0.43 to -0.01), substantial heterogeneity
• A meta-analysis of 19 trials in trained athletes found tart cherry juice sped strength recovery and lowered CRP for up to 48 hours after muscle-damaging exercise, with no significant pooled effect on soreness. — Trained athletes after exercise-induced muscle damage, 19 trials (n = 19 trials) Evidence A source
  MVC recovery ES 1.12 at 24 h and 1.29 at 48 h, CRP ES -0.73 at 24 h, no pooled effect on soreness or CK
• A meta-analysis of blueberry trials found no significant change in mood, with a small gain in two-back working memory accuracy. — Human intervention studies, 14 randomized trials reviewed, 6 pooled (n = 6 pooled trials) Evidence A source
  Mood WMD 0.03 (95% CI -0.80 to 0.87), two-back accuracy WMD 0.08 (95% CI 0.02 to 0.13)
• In a crossover RCT in 24 healthy adults, a wild blueberry drink with a carbohydrate-rich breakfast lowered glucose and insulin in the first hour at 300 mg of anthocyanins or more, with no effect on cognition or blood pressure. — 24 healthy adults (22 women), mean age 28, freeze-dried wild blueberry drinks with 0, 150, 300 or 450 mg anthocyanins (n = 24) Evidence B source
  Dose-dependent fall in postprandial glucose and insulin, significant at medium and high doses in the first hour; GLP-1, PYY, GIP up; cognition and BP unchanged

Safety, limits and interactions

• In healthy volunteers, blueberry juice raised buspirone exposure by a non-significant 39% and left flurbiprofen unchanged, unlike grapefruit juice which doubled buspirone. — Healthy volunteers taking oral buspirone or flurbiprofen with and without blueberry juice Evidence C source
  Buspirone AUC ratio 1.39 (not significant) versus 2.12 with grapefruit juice, flurbiprofen AUC ratio 1.03
• A meta-analysis of heavy metal levels in fruits found cherries among the highest for arsenic, cadmium or lead and berries among the lowest, with estimated risk for infants below the hazard threshold. — Published measurements of metals in fresh and processed fruits worldwide Evidence C source
  Hazard quotient in infants below 1

What people believe that the data does not support

• The EU did not authorize the claim that tart cherries help support a healthy heart. — EU health claim register Evidence E source
  Status: non-authorized
• The EU did not authorize the claim that tart cherries help support healthy joints. — EU health claim register Evidence E source
  Status: non-authorized

Who this works differently for

• A meta-analysis of 17 RCTs in people with cardiometabolic disease found blueberry or cranberry supplementation lowered systolic pressure by a non-significant 0.81 mmHg. — Patients with cardiometabolic diseases, 17 randomized trials (n = 17 trials) Evidence A source
  SBP -0.81 mmHg (95% CI -2.26 to 0.63), DBP -0.15 mmHg (95% CI -1.36 to 1.05)
• In a double-blind RCT, breastfed infants in Denver were given up to 10 g a day of freeze-dried blueberry powder or placebo from 5 to 12 months, and 61 of 76 enrolled completed the study. — 61 breastfed US infants, 5 to 12 months of age (n = 61) Evidence B source
  61 of 76 completed (30 blueberry, 31 placebo); outcome figures not in the quoted text

The bottom line

Blueberry trials also looked at the brain. Pooling 6 trials, blueberries did not change mood (WMD 0.03, 95% CI -0.80 to 0.87) and gave a small gain of 0.08 in two-back working memory accuracy (95% CI 0.02 to 0.13), the one positive among many outcomes tested. In 24 healthy adults, 22 of them women, a freeze-dried wild blueberry drink taken with a carbohydrate-rich breakfast lowered glucose and insulin in the first hour at doses of 300 mg of anthocyanins and above. That was a single dose of powder in young volunteers, and cognition and blood pressure did not change. In 17 trials in people with cardiometabolic disease, mostly of supplements, blueberry and cranberry pooled together lowered systolic pressure by 0.81 mmHg, which did not reach significance (95% CI -2.26 to 0.63). Little of the blueberry anthocyanins reaches the blood. In a crossover trial of 0.88 oz (25 g) of freeze-dried wild blueberry powder with a meal, 1.1 percent of the anthocyanins and 0.2 percent of chlorogenic acid were bioavailable, in a sample the abstract does not size. When 9 adults ate 8.8 oz (250 g) of fresh blueberries whole or juiced, whole fruit left 108 urine signals higher and juice left 8 higher, measured once at 2 hours as unidentified ions. On the plate the two fruits are close. USDA samples give raw blueberries about 8 mg of vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g) and dark sweet cherries about 10 mg, each varying roughly twofold across 8 samples. Sweet cherries carry more glucose, about 8.4 g per 3.5 oz (100 g) against 4.4 g, and cherry glucose ran from 5.7 to 14.4 g between samples. Fructose is similar, 5.5 g and 4.9 g. A cup of either is 150 g, one blueberry weighs 2 g and one cherry 7 g. The EU refused the claims that tart cherries support a healthy heart or healthy joints, and the register snapshot does not give the reason. On cautions the record is thin. In a small non-randomized study in healthy volunteers, blueberry juice raised exposure to the drug buspirone by 39 percent, which was not significant, and left flurbiprofen unchanged, while grapefruit juice doubled buspirone. A meta-analysis of metal surveys put cherries among the fruits highest in arsenic, cadmium or lead and berries among the lowest. It estimated the risk for infants as below the hazard threshold, from concentration data and not from health outcomes. In Denver, 76 breastfed infants were enrolled in a placebo-controlled trial of up to 10 g a day of freeze-dried blueberry powder from 5 to 12 months, and 61 finished. The text we quote gives no outcome, so we report none. We have no card on allergy to either fruit or on pregnancy.

Sources

1. blch-r2-13 · food composition data
   Blueberries, raw: Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid 8.059 MG, range 4.295-11.1, 8 samples. Cherries, sweet, dark red, raw: Vitamin C 10.39 MG, range 5.9-16.0, 8 samples
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-09-29
2. blch-r2-14 · food composition data
   Blueberries, raw: Fructose 4.939 G (3.92-6.9), Glucose 4.417 G (3.38-6.39), 8 samples. Cherries, sweet, dark red, raw: Fructose 5.513 G (4.48-7.71), Glucose 8.359 G (5.7-14.36), 8 samples
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-09-29
3. blch-r2-15 · food portion data
   Blueberries, raw (2709275): 1 berry 2 g; 1 cup 150 g; Quantity not specified 75 g. Cherries, raw (2709231): 1 cherry 7 g; 1 cup 150 g; Quantity not specified 75 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, food codes 63203010 Blueberries, raw and 63115010 Cherries, raw · checked 2026-09-29
4. blch-r2-06 · randomized crossover trial
   Human subjects ingested a WBB beverage (25 g freeze dried WBB powder) or placebo beverage with a meal and plasma was collected over 24 h. ... Bioavailability of WBB anthocyanins and 3-CGA was 1.1 and 0.2%, respectively.
   Mol Nutr Food Res, 2017 · checked 2026-09-29
5. blch-r2-07 · randomized crossover trial
   Nine healthy subjects consumed 250 g of fresh blueberries either as the whole fruit or after juicing, and provided blood and urine samples before and 2 h after intake in a cross-over design. ... In urinary samples, whole blueberry treatment resulted in 108 ions that were significantly higher compared with juiced treatment (positive and negative mode combined), whereas only eight were significantly higher after juiced treatment.
   Br J Nutr, 2018 · checked 2026-09-29
6. blch-r2-01 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Results indicated that blueberry intervention significantly improved flow-mediated dilation (FMD) by 1.11% (95% CI: 0.50, 1.72; I² = 23%), suggesting a positive impact on vascular health. However, there were no significant changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (reduction of 0.11 mmHg; 95% CI: -2.82, 2.60; I² = 0%) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (reduction of 0.46 mmHg; 95% CI: -2.80, 1.87; I² = 0%).
   Nutr Res, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
7. blch-r2-02 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Four randomized trials (eight comparisons; 392 participants) were included. Tart cherry intake was associated with a modest reduction in serum uric acid concentration compared with control (standardized mean difference -0.22; 95% confidence interval -0.43 to -0.01), with substantial heterogeneity.
   Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
8. blch-r2-04 · meta-analysis of trials
   Our results revealed TC juice supplementation significantly improved MVC recovery in the main analysis across all time points (post: ES = 0.63; 24 h: ES = 1.12; 48 h: ES = 1.29; 72 h: ES = 2.14; 96 h: ES = 4.82), with substantial heterogeneity (I² 69-93%). ... TC juice significantly reduced CRP post-exercise and up to 48 h (post: ES = -0.46; 24 h: ES = -0.73; 48 h: ES = -0.68), whereas no significant pooled effects were found for muscle soreness, CK, IL-6, TNF-α, ROM, or most subgroup time points.
   Sports Med Open, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
9. blch-r2-05 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Blueberry intervention resulted in no significant change in mood state score (WMD = 0.03; 95% CI: -0.80 to 0.87, P = 0.16). ... Significant effect was indicated (WMD = 0.08; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.13, P = 0.005) in two-back test accuracy.
   CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets, 2023 · checked 2026-09-29
10. blch-ws7-01 · randomized controlled trial
    Wild blueberry effects on postprandial glucose and appetite hormone responses were evident at anthocyanin doses of 300 mg and above but did not impact other outcomes in healthy adults.
    Eur J Nutr, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
11. blch-r2-08 · controlled clinical trial
    The geometric mean ratio (GMR = AUC with GFJ divided by AUC with water) was 2.12. In contrast, the effect of BBJ (GMR = 1.39) was not significant. In the study of flurbiprofen (CYP2C9 substrate), the positive control inhibitor fluconazole significantly increased flurbiprofen AUC (GMR = 1.71), but BBJ had no significant effect (GMR = 1.03).
    Br J Clin Pharmacol, 2013 · checked 2026-09-29
12. blch-r2-10 · meta-analysis of concentration data
    According to findings highest concentrations of As, Cd and Pb were observed in pineapple, mango, and cherry, while the lowest concentrations of these metals were found in berries, pineapple, and berries. ... Eventually, the non-carcinogenic risk assessment of the heavy metal in fresh and processed fruits indicated that the risk pattern was different in various countries and the calculated TTHQ level in infants was below 1.
    Biol Trace Elem Res, 2023 · checked 2026-09-29
13. blch-r2-11 · regulatory decision
    POL-HC-6907 Cherries (Prunus cerasus), including Montmorency, Balaton or other sour/tart cherry varieties [Tart/sour] cherries help support a healthy heart Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-6907, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-09-29
14. blch-r2-12 · regulatory decision
    POL-HC-6908 Cherries (Prunus cerasus), including Montmorency, Balaton or other sour/tart cherry varieties [Tart/sour] cherries help support healthy joints Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-6908, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-09-29
15. blch-r2-03 · meta-analysis of RCTs
    Pooled results revealed statistically non-significant reductions of -0.81 mm Hg for SBP (95% confidence interval [CI]: -2.26, 0.63; I2 = 0%) and -0.15 mm Hg for DBP (95% CI: -1.36, 1.05; I2 = 27%).
    Phytother Res, 2024 · checked 2026-09-29
16. blch-r2-09 · randomized controlled trial
    In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, infants from the Denver metro area were assigned to receive up to 10 g/day of freeze-dried blueberry powder or an isocaloric placebo from 5 to 12 months of age. ... Results: Of the 76 infants enrolled, 61 completed the study (Blueberry: n = 30; Placebo: n = 31).
    Nutrients, 2025 · checked 2026-09-29