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Blackberry vs. Blueberry — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Elen Khachatrian by Elen Khachatrian | Last updated on January 24, 2024
Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan
Blackberry
vs
Blueberry

Summary

Although we see these two berries are very similar to each other from the point of nutrition, vitamins, and antioxidants, blackberries contain more vitamin C and fewer carbohydrates and sugars. At the same time, blueberries are better in vitamins B1, B5, and B6.


Introduction


All berries are known as an essential source of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, dietary fiber, and micronutrients, which are responsible for various health benefits and preventing life-threatening diseases, such as various kinds of inflammation, cancer, diabetes, and chronic diseases. 

Though many scientific studies advise including berries in your everyday meals, it’s helpful to sort out which berries are even better. Let’s compare 2 of the widely consumed berries: blackberry and blueberry.

Note that the comparison is made only for raw products and not processed ones.

Actual differences

Blackberry is an edible fruit produced by plants of the genus Rubus from the Rosaceae family. Blueberry belongs to a different family and genus - genus Vaccinium from the family Ericaceae. This is why they notably differ in appearance: blueberry is a round, true berry, while blackberry is not a berry at all. It is classified as an aggregate fruit. Blackberries' color range lies between deep purple and black when ripe. They are often called black raspberries due to their appearance, similar to raspberries. Check out the Blackberry vs. Raspberry comparison article for more information. What about blueberries? Blueberries are visibly deep blue or deep purple. Their color is brighter than blackberries' color. 

Taste, Smell, and Use

Unripe blackberries can be bitter or sour, but when they are ripe, they have a tart and sweet flavor. In contrast, most blueberries have a sweet taste with a little note of acidity. Blueberries have a sweet, herbaceous smell with oily and melon nuances. Blackberry has a musky-fruity odor

Blackberries are famous ingredients for jams, jellies, yogurt, smoothies, and other recipes. In contrast, blueberries are very often used as a topping for pancakes, muffins, or waffles. Blueberries are widely consumed along with oatmeal as a healthy breakfast. 

Best season to buy

You can buy blackberries from May to September but will find the best ones, especially in June and July. If you want to taste the best and freshest blueberries, you’d better do that during the season from May to August.

Nutrition

When talking about the useful properties of any food, people are most interested in the nutrients they contain. As for blackberries and blueberries, they are pretty similar to each other except for some nutrients. In this section, we will compare the nutrient contents of 100g servings of blackberry and blueberry. 

Macronutrients

The infographic below shows that blue and blackberries contain more than 80% water. Generally, they differ in carb content: blueberry has more carbs than blackberry. Let's examine this deeper in the corresponding paragraphs. 

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
10% 88%
Protein: 1.39 g
Fats: 0.49 g
Carbs: 9.61 g
Water: 88.15 g
Other: 0.36 g
14% 84%
Protein: 0.74 g
Fats: 0.33 g
Carbs: 14.49 g
Water: 84.21 g
Other: 0.23 g
Contains more ProteinProtein +87.8%
Contains more FatsFats +48.5%
Contains more OtherOther +56.5%
Contains more CarbsCarbs +50.8%
~equal in Water ~84.21g

Carbs

Blackberry is lower in carbs compared to blueberry. Blueberry contains 14.5g of overall carbs, while blackberry provides only 9.6g

Blackberry is richer in maltose and galactose — disaccharides that are not present in blueberry. In contrast, blueberry provides twice as much glucose and fructose

Fiber

Blackberry is 2 times richer in fiber than blueberry. Blackberries are rich in soluble and insoluble fiber, while blueberries' fiber content is mostly insoluble

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison
47% 49%
Starch: 0 g
Sucrose: 0.07 g
Glucose: 2.31 g
Fructose: 2.4 g
Lactose: 0 g
Maltose: 0.07 g
Galactose: 0.03 g
49% 50%
Starch: 0.03 g
Sucrose: 0.11 g
Glucose: 4.88 g
Fructose: 4.97 g
Lactose: 0 g
Maltose: 0 g
Galactose: 0 g
Contains more MaltoseMaltose +∞%
Contains more GalactoseGalactose +∞%
Contains more StarchStarch +∞%
Contains more SucroseSucrose +57.1%
Contains more GlucoseGlucose +111.3%
Contains more FructoseFructose +107.1%
~equal in Lactose ~0g
 

Proteins

The amount of protein in both is very low, given that each has around 1g of protein. However, blackberries have a bit more protein. 

Fats

The fat content of blackberry and blueberry is not significant. It is important to mention that neither of them contain any amounts of cholesterol. 

Glycemic index

Blackberry and blueberry have low glycemic indices. Blackberry has a glycemic index 25, whereas blueberry has a GI of 53. Hence, blueberry's GI is two times higher, meaning blueberry consumption leads to relatively faster spikes in blood sugar levels. 

Calories

Blackberry and blueberry are low in calories. Blackberry is 14 units lower in calories compared to blueberry.

Vitamins

Blueberry is richer in vitamins B1, B2, and B6. Blackberry is richer in vitamins A, E, and C.

Blackberry covers 70% of the DV of vitamin C, and blueberry satisfies 12% of the daily need for vitamin B6. 

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 70% 13% 23% 0% 5% 6% 12% 17% 6.9% 0% 50% 19% 4.6%
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 32% 3.2% 11% 0% 9.3% 9.5% 7.8% 7.4% 12% 0% 48% 4.5% 3.3%
Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +116.5%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +296.3%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +105.3%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +54.5%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +122.6%
Contains more FolateFolate +316.7%
Contains more CholineCholine +41.7%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +85%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +57.7%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +73.3%
~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg
~equal in Vitamin K ~19.3µg

Minerals

Blackberries are the absolute winner in this section. They are higher in all the minerals than blueberries. Blackberries are especially richer in copper, covering 56% of the DV of it

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 14% 8.7% 14% 23% 55% 14% 9.4% 0.13% 84% 2.2%
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 4.3% 1.8% 6.8% 11% 19% 4.4% 5.1% 0.13% 44% 0.55%
Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +233.3%
Contains more CalciumCalcium +383.3%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium +110.4%
Contains more IronIron +121.4%
Contains more CopperCopper +189.5%
Contains more ZincZinc +231.3%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +83.3%
Contains more ManganeseManganese +92.3%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium +300%
~equal in Sodium ~1mg

Health impact

Anthocyanins

Another important component of berries, due to which berries are considered superfoods, is a specific type of flavonoid called anthocyanins.

A scientific report in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences states that both blackberries and blueberries contain, on average, 10 times more anthocyanins than other foods.

 By eating them, you can improve control over your body fat and blood sugar and have good gut and digestion (1).

Antioxidants

Blackberries and blueberries are also loaded with antioxidant compounds, such as ellagic acid, tannins, ellagitannins, quercetin, gallic acid, anthocyanins, and cyanidins, which make them an excellent help to fight free radicals and to avoid such disorders as cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases (2).
However, blueberries are the winners due to their antioxidant content. 

According to a 2004 study, a cup of cultivated blueberries contains 9,019 antioxidants (3).

Cardiovascular health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan Article author photo Astghik Grigoryan

Consuming blackberries may positively impact the lipid profile, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers of individuals with metabolic syndrome. As for blueberries, studies show that their consumption may reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) levels in the blood. These effects of berries are important for reducing cardiovascular risk (4.5.6.7).

In addition, recent research has shown that daily consumption of freeze-dried blueberry powder for 12 weeks can significantly improve endothelial function and reduce oxidative stress in postmenopausal women with high blood pressure. These findings suggest that blueberry powder could be a beneficial addition to the diet of women looking to improve their cardiovascular health and reduce their risk of developing related diseases (8).

It should be noted that natural polyphenols obtained through daily berry consumption are safer and more practical for preventing and treating chronic diseases than traditional medications (9).

Brain Health

Blackberries have shown beneficial effects on brain health, instead. Blackberry consumption may improve the signaling in the aging human brain (10). Besides, blackberry polyphenols have neuroprotective effects (11).

Article author photo Elen Khachatrian
Education: Nutrition & Microbiology at YSU
Last updated: January 24, 2024
Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan

Infographic

Blackberry vs Blueberry infographic
Infographic link

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
4% 14% 82%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.014 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.047 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.28 g
13% 21% 66%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.028 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.047 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.146 g
Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -50%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +91.8%
~equal in Monounsaturated Fat ~0.047g

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Blackberry Blueberry
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Rich in minerals ok
Rich in vitamins ok
Lower in Cholesterol Equal
Lower in Sodium Equal
Lower in price Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Blackberry Blueberry Opinion
Calories 43kcal 57kcal Blueberry
Protein 1.39g 0.74g Blackberry
Fats 0.49g 0.33g Blackberry
Vitamin C 21mg 9.7mg Blackberry
Net carbs 4.31g 12.09g Blueberry
Carbs 9.61g 14.49g Blueberry
Magnesium 20mg 6mg Blackberry
Calcium 29mg 6mg Blackberry
Potassium 162mg 77mg Blackberry
Iron 0.62mg 0.28mg Blackberry
Sugar 4.88g 9.96g Blackberry
Fiber 5.3g 2.4g Blackberry
Copper 0.165mg 0.057mg Blackberry
Zinc 0.53mg 0.16mg Blackberry
Starch 0g 0.03g Blueberry
Phosphorus 22mg 12mg Blackberry
Sodium 1mg 1mg
Vitamin A 214IU 54IU Blackberry
Vitamin A 11µg 3µg Blackberry
Vitamin E 1.17mg 0.57mg Blackberry
Manganese 0.646mg 0.336mg Blackberry
Selenium 0.4µg 0.1µg Blackberry
Vitamin B1 0.02mg 0.037mg Blueberry
Vitamin B2 0.026mg 0.041mg Blueberry
Vitamin B3 0.646mg 0.418mg Blackberry
Vitamin B5 0.276mg 0.124mg Blackberry
Vitamin B6 0.03mg 0.052mg Blueberry
Vitamin K 19.8µg 19.3µg Blackberry
Folate 25µg 6µg Blackberry
Choline 8.5mg 6mg Blackberry
Saturated Fat 0.014g 0.028g Blackberry
Monounsaturated Fat 0.047g 0.047g
Polyunsaturated fat 0.28g 0.146g Blackberry
Tryptophan 0.003mg Blueberry
Threonine 0.02mg Blueberry
Isoleucine 0.023mg Blueberry
Leucine 0.044mg Blueberry
Lysine 0.013mg Blueberry
Methionine 0.012mg Blueberry
Phenylalanine 0.026mg Blueberry
Valine 0.031mg Blueberry
Histidine 0.011mg Blueberry
Fructose 2.4g 4.97g Blueberry

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Blackberry Blueberry
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
17%
Blackberry
11%
Blueberry
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
23%
Blackberry
10%
Blueberry

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Sugar?
Blackberry
Blackberry is lower in Sugar (difference - 5.08g)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Blackberry
Blackberry is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.014g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Blackberry
Blackberry is lower in glycemic index (difference - 28)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Blackberry
Blackberry is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Blackberry
Blackberry is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)
Which food contains less Sodium?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Sodium (1 mg)
Which food is cheaper?
?
The foods are relatively equal in price ($0.3)

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Blackberry - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173946/nutrients
  2. Blueberry - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171711/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.