Blueberries
Introduction
Blueberries are small, round berries prized for their sweet-tart flavour and versatile use in breakfasts, baking and snacks. Their deep blue–purple colour comes from anthocyanins, a class of flavonoid pigments that develop as the fruit ripens. These compounds not only give the berries their distinctive hue but also act as antioxidants.
Nutritionally, blueberries are low in calories and a good source of dietary fibre. They are well known for their vitamin C content and also provide vitamin K. In terms of micronutrients and phytonutrients, blueberries supply manganese, modest amounts of B vitamins, and a range of polyphenols—particularly anthocyanins—which have been studied for potential benefits to vascular health and cognitive function.
Top Section. Provide a short introduction such as what is it? fruit, animal etc., can it be eaten raw or does it require cooking? include any stand out features such as colour, why it is this colour, also list any macro or micronutrients that the food has:
Nutrition Snapshot per 100g
Kcal nn kcal
Protein nn g | nn %
Fat nn g | nn %
Carbohydrates nn g | nn %
Percentages reflect this food’s Balance*
Fibre nn g
Total Sugars nn g
Saturated Fat nn g
Salt nn mg
Nutritional values are per 100g and sourced from UK CoFID data.
Carbohydrates value includes fibre (AOAC method).
Carbohydrates value includes Total Sugars including naturally occurring sugars such as glucose, fructose, lactose or sucrose.
Balance*
The Balance value expresses how protein, carbohydrate and fat contribute to a food’s total energy.
Using CoFID data per 100g, each macronutrient is converted into energy using the standard Atwater convention (protein × 4 kcal, carbohydrate × 4 kcal, fat × 9 kcal). The energy from each macronutrient is then calculated as a percentage of the total macro energy.
This provides a simple way to see whether a food is predominantly carbohydrate-based, protein-based or fat-based.
It does not determine whether a food is “good” or “bad”, but helps visualise its macronutrient profile within a broader eating pattern.
When assessing a full meal or daily intake, portion sizes should be taken into account.
Why this matters
Understanding the structure of individual foods can help you make more confident decisions when adjusting to a health diagnosis or long-term condition.
If you are organising meals, tracking intake or reflecting on patterns, you may find the Aardelia digital journals helpful.