Raspberry vs. Blueberry — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Summary

Raspberry is richer in vitamin C, fiber, and iron, while blueberry is higher in vitamin K. Blueberry contains more sugar. Raspberry provides three times more vitamin C than blueberry. Raspberry contains four times more Magnesium than Blueberry. Raspberry contains 22mg of Magnesium, while blueberry contains 6mg.

Introduction

In this article, we will compare two famous berries - raspberry(1) and blueberry (2), showing their differences in nutritional profile and health impact. 

Raspberry is a fruit produced by a plant belonging to the Rosaceae family - Rubus idaeus. It is cultivated worldwide. Blueberry is a superfood that grows on the blueberry bush. The most common blueberry plant cultivated in the US is the highbush blueberry. 

Taste, smell, appearance

Raspberry is a small conical fruit covered with a velvety red skin, while blueberry is a round berry with many seeds inside. Blueberry is firstly green, and then it turns into deep purple or blue. 

Blueberry has a fruity, herbaceous smell, while raspberry often has a sour, sweet, juicy odor. Blueberry has a melon-like, herbal, oily taste, and the raspberry flavor is both tart and sweet. 

Nutrition

Although both raspberry and blueberry contain 85% of water, they differ in the distribution of macronutrients they provide. Check the chart shown below to visualize the nutrient composition of these berries. 

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Raspberry

4

Protein: 1.2 g

Fats: 0.65 g

Carbs: 11.94 g

Water: 85.75 g

Other: 0.46 g

Blueberry

1

Protein: 0.74 g

Fats: 0.33 g

Carbs: 14.49 g

Water: 84.21 g

Other: 0.23 g

Contains more ProteinProtein	+62.2%
Contains more FatsFats	+97%
Contains more OtherOther	+100%

Contains more CarbsCarbs

+21.4%

~equal in Water ~84.21g

Carbs

Blueberry is higher in carbs than raspberry: this is why it may seem sweeter. Blueberry provides 14.5g of carbs compared to 12g containing raspberry. The sweetness of blueberry is linked to its higher sugar content.

Fiber

Raspberry is 2.1g richer in fiber than blueberry. Raspberry is a good source of soluble fiber and helps lower total blood cholesterol levels. 

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Raspberry

1

Starch: 0 g

Sucrose: 0.2 g

Glucose: 1.86 g

Fructose: 2.35 g

Lactose: 0 g

Maltose: 0 g

Galactose: 0 g

Blueberry

3

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 SucroseSucrose

+81.8%

Contains more StarchStarch	+∞%
Contains more GlucoseGlucose	+162.4%
Contains more FructoseFructose	+111.5%

~equal in Lactose ~0g

~equal in Maltose ~0g

~equal in Galactose ~0g

Protein

Being plant food products, raspberry and blueberry contain small amounts of protein. However, raspberry is slightly higher in protein. 

Fat

Raspberry and blueberry contain less than one gram of fat per 100g; hence we can neglect the fat amounts. 

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Raspberry

3

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.019 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.064 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.375 g

Blueberry

0

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	-32.1%
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat	+36.2%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+156.8%

Calories

Raspberry and blueberry are classified as low-calorie foods. However, blueberry contains five calories more compared to blueberry. 

Minerals

The winner in this section is raspberry. It is higher in all minerals than blueberry. Raspberry contains two times more potassium than blueberry. It is significantly richer in copper and iron. 

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.

Raspberry

9

Blueberry

0

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+266.7%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+316.7%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+96.1%
Contains more IronIron	+146.4%
Contains more CopperCopper	+57.9%
Contains more ZincZinc	+162.5%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+141.7%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+99.4%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+100%

~equal in Sodium ~1mg

Vitamins

Raspberry contains nearly three times higher in vitamin C than blueberry. It is also richer in vitamins B3, B5, and folate. 

Blueberry is 11.5mg higher in vitamin K. It contains more vitamins A and B1. 

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.

Raspberry

6

Blueberry

3

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+170.1%
Contains more Vitamin E Vitamin E	+52.6%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+43.1%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+165.3%
Contains more FolateFolate	+250%
Contains more CholineCholine	+105%

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+63.6%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+15.6%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+147.4%

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B2 ~0.041mg

~equal in Vitamin B6 ~0.052mg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

Glycemic index

Blueberry and raspberry are classified as low-GI foods. However, blueberry’s GI is twice higher: blueberry’s GI equals 53, while raspberry’s GI is 26. 

Check our glycemic index chart page for more information about the GI of other foods. 

Health benefits

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are chemicals produced by plants that fight oxidative damage during inflammation. Oxidative stress can lead to serious health problems such as cancer, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, and other diseases (3). Raspberries and blueberries produce different antioxidants to fight oxidative damage. 

Raspberries are high in vitamin C, ellagic acid, and quercetin (4). A study indicates that consuming raspberries shows anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, thus fighting chronic diseases (5). Ellagic acid may also have DNA-repairing effects (6). 

Blueberries are believed to have the highest antioxidant activity among fruits (7) (8). They are particularly rich in anthocyanins - flavonoids responsible for these berries’ antioxidant capacities (9). 

Diabetes

Raspberries may improve insulin resistance and lower blood sugar levels. It is high in tannin - an alpha-amylase inhibitor that prevents the breaking down of the starch (10). 

Fresh and frozen blueberries have shown beneficial effects on people with type 2 diabetes. They improve glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity (11) (12) (13).

References

1. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/167755/nutrients 
2. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171711/nutrients 
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25942353/ 
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26501271/ 
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26773014/ 
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19325752/ 
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18759450/ 
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15186133/ 
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22175691/ 
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15796622/ 
11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34883305/ 
12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31139236/ 
13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33922965/