Blueberries vs. Blackberries: Which Has More Antioxidants?

Blueberries and blackberries are both sweet, poppable fruits that are packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. Looking at their individual antioxidant levels, blackberries often have more pint-for-pint benefits, but blueberries contain a higher amount of anthocyanins, a specific antioxidant that does its job very well. You won’t go wrong eating either berry; here’s how it all breaks down.

Many vitamins, minerals, and nutrients are antioxidants or have antioxidant properties. Here’s how four common types of antioxidants found in both fruits compare.

1. Anthocyanins

Which berry has more: Blueberries

Anthocyanins are plant compounds that help give blueberries and blackberries their dark blue, black, and purple coloring. The compounds have a strong antioxidant capacity, which is the ability to limit the damage that free radicals and oxidative stress cause. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) calls antioxidant capacity “antioxidant power,” and blueberries are known to have some of the highest antioxidant power around, outweighing the amount found in blackberries.

Benefits: Besides their damage-limiting effect, anthocyanins reduce inflammation, support your immune system, promote blood flow to help lower blood pressure, and may even protect brain cells from stress-related damage.

2. Vitamin C

Which berry has more: Blackberries

Blackberries win the vitamin C race: A 140-gram serving contains almost 22 milligrams of vitamin C, compared to just over 11 milligrams in blueberries.

Benefits: Getting enough vitamin C in your diet helps your body reduce cellular stress and damage, potentially lowering your risk of certain health conditions, like heart disease and some cancers.

3. Vitamin K

Which berry has more: Blackberries

Blackberries just outscore blueberries. Blackberries contain 14.25 micrograms of vitamin K in a half cup vs. the 14 micrograms in a half cup of blueberries.

Benefits: Vitamin K plays an important role in making proteins that keep your blood healthy, but it also has antioxidant properties, protecting against age-related oxidative stress (which can lead to heart disease, neurological conditions, and osteoporosis).

4. Ellagic Acid

Which berry has more: Blackberries

Although both berries contain ellagic acid—a plant compound found in many types of berries—blackberries usually have more than blueberries.

Benefits: The acid is most well-known for its cancer- and tumor-fighting properties, with some research suggesting it may be able to stop the growth of some types of breast cancer cells (though more evidence is needed).

The Final Verdict

While blackberries often have higher amounts of individual antioxidants, blueberries have a higher anthocyanin content and better antioxidant capacity, so they might have more overall benefits for your health. Whether you should eat more blueberries or blackberries depends on your individual nutrition needs.     

To understand why antioxidants are important, it’s helpful to know about free radicals and oxidative stress first. Free radicals are molecules missing an electron, which makes them unstable. The more free radicals in your body, the higher your oxidative stress, a response that causes damage to your cells. Oxidative stress contributes to a higher risk of chronic health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Antioxidants limit cell damage and protect healthy cells, lowering your overall risk for inflammation and disease. Humans get most of their antioxidants from diet, especially plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts. Some compounds, like lycopene and beta-carotene, are antioxidants solely. Many other dietary vitamins and minerals have antioxidant properties, including selenium; zinc; and vitamins C, A, and K.

If you like blueberries and blackberries and want easy ways to incorporate more of them into your diet, start getting creative—berries can be added to pretty much any meal:

• Stir fresh or frozen berries into your oatmeal, cereal, or yogurt.
• Incorporate fresh or frozen berries into baked goods like pancakes, muffins, and quick breads.
• Sprinkle fresh berries on a spinach salad.
• Top peanut butter toast with several fresh berries.
• Blend fresh or frozen berries into your favorite smoothie.
• Make a fresh berry salsa to serve with lean protein, like chicken or pork.
• Blend and freeze them into ice pops or ice cube molds.