Blueberry (Vaccinium Cyanococcus)
Medicinal Profile of
Blueberry (Vaccinium Cyanococcus)
Blueberry (Vaccinium Cyanococcus), native to North America and cherished in Indigenous traditions, are among the most antioxidant-rich fruits known. Their deep blue color comes from anthocyanins, which strongly support vascular health, eye function, and cellular resilience. At medicinal doses, blueberries help regulate blood sugar, reduce oxidative stress, and support cognitive clarity. While often enjoyed as food, consistent therapeutic intake has terrain-level effects, especially in vascular hyperreactivity, metabolic sluggishness, and cognitive decline.
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👉 Tastes describe the initial impression a food leaves on the tongue, and they reveal its deeper actions in the body, shaping digestion, circulation, and tissue response.
Sweet – Nourishing and building; supports tissue strength and energy.
Sour – Mildly stimulating and digestive-awakening from organic fruit acids.
Astringent – Tissue-toning and drying, especially when underripe.
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👉 Qualities describe the felt nature of a substance or practice, and how it acts in the body beyond nutrients or chemistry.
At medicinal / therapeutic doses:
Cooling – Reduces vascular irritation, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
Light – Improves circulation and metabolic efficiency without heaviness.
Stabilizing – Strengthens vessel tone, regulates reactivity, balances tissues.
Astringent – Firms and tightens tissues, reduces vascular fragility, tones digestion.
In food-like doses, blueberries feel nourishing and moistening (sweet + juicy aspect), restoring fluids and gently harmonizing tissues.
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👉 Terrain patterns describe the body’s functional state, showing when a herb is most helpful or aggravating, while affinities identify the organ systems or tissues where its actions are most directly felt.
👉 To learn more about these patterns in depth, read this blog.Hyperreactivity (Primary Indicated Terrain Pattern) – Irritation, inflammation, oversensitivity, or immune overdrive.
Cardiovascular System (Affinity) – Strengthens vessels, reduces oxidative stress, lowers blood pressure.
Immune System (Affinity) – Antioxidant support calms inflammatory load.
Form & Application: Fresh, frozen, or concentrated extract. Dose: ½–1 cup fresh/frozen daily or standardized anthocyanin extract 300–500 mg/day.
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Hypofunction (Secondary Indicated Terrain Pattern) – Low energy, slowed metabolism, weak digestion or immunity. (Secondary Indicated Terrain Patterns are the patterns that arise as a result of the primary patterns)
Metabolic/Endocrine System (Affinity) – Improves insulin sensitivity, stabilizes blood sugar.
Nervous System (Affinity) – Supports memory, cognitive resilience.
Form & Application: Fresh/frozen, or extract powder in smoothies. Dose: ½–1 cup daily, or concentrated powder 5–10 g/day.
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👉 Nutritional values give the measurable nutrients that a food contributes to the diet.
(per 1 cup, ~148 g fresh blueberries)
Calories: 84 kcal, Carbohydrates: 21 g, Fiber: 3.6 g, Vitamin C: 14 mg (24% DV), Vitamin K: 28 mcg (36% DV), Manganese: 0.5 mg (25% DV), Folate: 9 mcg, Potassium: 114 mg
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👉 Practical methods describe the common ways a food is prepared or used to bring out its medicinal effects.
Fresh or Frozen Berries – Consumed daily for vascular, metabolic, and cognitive benefits.
Powdered Extract – Concentrated anthocyanin or whole-berry powders added to smoothies, teas, or capsules for systemic antioxidant support.
Juice (Unsweetened) – Used for cardiovascular and urinary tract support; provides concentrated flavonoids but less fiber.
Decoction (dried berries) – Traditional method in European and Native herbalism for diarrhea and digestive astringency.
Capsules / Standardized Extracts – Deliver consistent anthocyanin doses for research-based cardiovascular and cognitive outcomes.
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Cardiovascular System
Antioxidant – Reduces oxidative stress in vessels.
Vasoprotective – Strengthens vessel walls, reduces fragility.
Hypotensive (mild) – Supports blood pressure regulation.
Antiplatelet – Reduces clotting tendency.
Metabolic/Endocrine System
Hypoglycemic (mild) – Improves insulin sensitivity.
Hypolipidemic – May reduce cholesterol and triglycerides.
Nervous System
Neuroprotective – Supports memory, cognition, and neural resilience.
Anti-inflammatory – Reduces neuroinflammation contributing to decline.
Immune System
Anti-inflammatory – Lowers chronic inflammatory markers.
Antioxidant – Protects immune cells from oxidative stress.
Digestive System
Astringent – Useful for mild diarrhea.
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Anthocyanins (delphinidin, malvidin, cyanidin) – Antioxidant, vascular-protective.
Flavonoids (quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol) – Anti-inflammatory, stabilizing.
Phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid) – Hypoglycemic, antioxidant.
Tannins – Astringent, tissue-toning.
Vitamins – Vitamin C, Vitamin K, folate.
Minerals – Manganese, copper.
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Second Degree – Noticeable systemic benefits with consistent use; works best as a long-term terrain-supportive food.
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Anticoagulants / antiplatelet drugs – Possible additive effect.
Antidiabetic medications – May enhance glucose-lowering effect.
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Generally safe – Well tolerated as both food and medicine.
Caution – Very high extract doses may overly lower blood sugar or interact with blood thinners.
Children & pregnancy – Safe in food amounts.
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Traditional Sources
Indigenous North American medicine – Blueberries used as food and medicine for blood strengthening, cooling fevers, and digestive support.
European folk medicine – Used for diarrhea and eye health.
Modern Sources
Cassidy, A., et al. (2015). “Blueberry anthocyanins and cardiovascular risk.” Am J Clin Nutr, 102(1), 153–160.
Miller, M. G., & Shukitt-Hale, B. (2012). “Berry fruit enhances beneficial signaling in the brain.” J Agric Food Chem, 60(23), 5709–5715.
USDA FoodData Central (2024). Nutrient data for blueberries.
