Yes, like most of you I also snack on blueberries now and then. But are these popular and tiny fruits always safe to consume, especially for people who are fighting acid reflux or GERD?
Are Blueberries acidic?
Although blueberries are often kept on the diet chart for all kinds of people, it’s necessary to know that they’re somewhat acidic. Therefore, it’s important that you consider the pH levels carefully.
So, it’s very crucial to understand the acidic levels of fresh fruits like blueberries. Here, I’ll give you a quick tour of everything necessary you would need to know on this matter.
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Why Are Blueberries Acidic?
Blueberries are moderately acidic because on the pH scale, Blueberries pH ranges from 3.11 – 3.35. So we know anything on the pH scale less than 7 is acidic.
That’s why if you’re on low-acid sustenances, then you shouldn’t have this fruit frequently. However, eating appropriate Blueberries is safe and beneficial for you.
Because there are many antioxidants and micronutrients that you would find in blueberries as well, and that helps to fight many diseases and maintain your good health at the same time.
PH of Blueberries?
There are actually several kinds of blueberries and the pH level also depends on it. However, most of the time, the scale ranges from 3.11 to 3.35. Therefore, these fruits are labeled as acidic.
| Blueberries | pH Value |
| Blueberries, Maine | 3.12-3.33 |
| Blueberries, frozen | 3.11-3.22 |
| Blueberries, Wild | 4.0-5.0 |
| Blueberries, Dried | 3.1- 3.4 |
But there’s no harm in having blueberries in small quantities. That’s how you can keep your diet complete, leveled, and healthy without triggering any underlying illness.
Moreover, among all the other fruits, blueberries are actually slightly acidic. Thus people who have issues like acidic reflux wouldn’t need to worry much if there’s a small number of blueberries in their diet chart because all the other health advantages of blueberries adjust their acidic trait.
Also, blueberries are quite a heavy fruit for the appetite. You won’t be able to consume too much of these altogether. Hence, the chances of causing acidic flux are less likely.
Are Blueberries Good for Acid Reflux?
Blueberries are not good if you’re recently suffering from acid reflux. However, blueberries can not trigger acid reflux if you already have no symptoms related to acid reflux or heartburn. In this case, eating a moderate amount of blueberries will not cause acid reflux as blueberries are not highly acidic. They fall in a mild acidic category.
On the other hand, if you’re eating a lot of blueberries and you already have a problem with heartburn or acid reflux, it can worsen your symptoms. Also, if you’re suffering from active gastritis, eating blueberries can be harmful.
In patients with gastritis, there is already an inflammation of the lining of the stomach. Blueberries contain citric acid and ascorbic acid. So, they can irritate the stomach lining.
Next comes, the amount of blueberries you snack on. Although blueberries are mildly acidic, eating a lot of these can stimulate the stomach lining to produce more acid. This can also aggravate acid reflux. Also, the stomach will produce more hydrochloric acid to digest a greater amount of blueberries. This can burn your throat or stomach.
So, eating a moderate amount of blueberries is not harmful to acid reflux. But as you increase their amount, you are most likely to suffer from heartburn.
Also, there are various health benefits of eating blueberries. These benefits include a healthy heart and brain.
So, to enjoy these benefits just limit the consumption of blueberries to avoid acid reflux.
Does Blueberry Juice Deteriorate Acidic Reflux?
Well, if you have acid reflux, then it’s better to avoid blueberry juice specifically. Because Blueberries are somewhat acid-forming. Although blueberry juice has a similar level on pH scale, like fresh blueberries, the juice doesn’t contain the exact amount of fiber that you’ll get from raw blueberries.
This makes the juice inadequate for consuming your gut acid, and this might deteriorate your signs of acid reflux. This is why doctors suggest consuming fresh blueberries instead of blueberry juice.
Also another thing that we overlook most of the time is the number of blueberries we need to use while making the juice.
It’s actually way more than the amount you usually snack on. It results in high sugar intake and digestion problems. And this can cause heartburn and other issues because your acid reflux can resurface in your esophagus.
Does Blueberry Jam Deteriorate Acidic Reflux?
If you notice, you would need a huge amount of sugar to make the jam and a lot of blueberries at the same time. You see, raw blueberries are acidic in general but that’s quite moderate.
However, when you mix these fruits with sugar, these will hamper your digestion, and on top of that, it’ll generate extra acid in your stomach. Nonetheless, it’s mostly noticeable if you buy jams from shops because those are filled with different additives.
But if you prefer homemade blueberry jam, then the issues mentioned above can be avoided to some extent. Or just try to prepare the jam considering your diet and other health concerns.
This way there won’t be a bucket of harmful additives or sugar intake, only a jam made fresh and raw blueberries. Always go for the raw blueberries as they’re full of fiber and other beneficial nutrients rather than pesticides and toxic chemicals. Therefore, no more suffering from stomach acidity.
Are Blueberries Beneficial for Health?
You see, there’s a strong connection between your weight and acidic reflux. If you have excess weight then very low acidic food might trigger your acidity. However, blueberries don’t have many calories. If you want to calculate then it’ll be around only 84 for each cup.
Furthermore, these fruits would help you a lot if you’re dehydrated as they contain about 85% water. Blueberries don’t contain fat as well. Fat can be the trigger for acidic reflux or GERD and sometimes deteriorate the situation.
In short, even though blueberries are slightly acidic, all the other health benefits of this fruit make it beneficial for your health.
To your surprise, the benefits don’t end here. Blueberries are also very rich in many vital vitamins such as vitamin K. Do you know, blueberries are very beneficial in helping blood clotting and therefore, wound recovery? Yes, there are more benefits like this fruit will prevent your cell damage, particularly cancers and diseases due to aging as well.
To add up with it, blueberries help to increase natural antioxidants in your body, which basically helps to relax inflammation and boost stomach health. Moreover, it keeps urinary-related infections at bay.
On top of all these, blueberries are really good for people who have diabetes.
Although a cup of blueberries contains around 15g of sugar, they’re good to neutralize the sugar effect because of their bioactive compounds. Therefore, your blood sugar will be in check, and your insulin and glucose metabolism as well.
Should You Eat a Huge Amount of Blueberries?
We already saw that blueberries aren’t alkaline; rather they are acidic fruit. However, it’s actually partly acidic as it doesn’t have a pH level above 4.6.
Also, if you see the PRAL score of blueberries, then it’s about -0.6. Here PRAL means the Potential Renal Acid Load. It’s basically a measurement followed to determine the potential acid load in the digestive zone for each 100g of fruit.
So, with the PRAL score mentioned above, blueberries aren’t capable of vigorously hampering your stomach acid if you take them in a moderate amount.
However, there are some low-acid foods that you can pair with blueberries that will reduce any chance of exacerbating your acid reflux symptoms. Let’s take a look at the list below, which contains the names of the low-acidic foods—
- Curd and milk
- A lot of fresh and raw veggies, including potatoes
- Seasonings and spices. However, don’t use mustard, salt, or nutmeg
- Lentils
- Beans
- Different soy, for example, tofu, miso, soybeans, and tempeh
- Herbal drinks or tea specifically
- Several seeds like quinoa, amaranth, etc.
- Olive oil is a good fat to mix blueberry salads or other dishes.
When Should You Avoid Blueberries?
Acid reflux causes a long chest burn or throat inflammation. Along with it, you may struggle with bloated abdomen for several hours.
In order to prevent this kind of situation, you should avoid acidic food and need to include less-acidic fruits or other foods in your diet. Also, you might need to stop snacking over blueberries and reduce it to 2-5 blueberries a day.
Let’s have a look at the other less-acidic fruits which should take the majority of your food chart instead of fruits like blueberries in case you’re fighting your acidic flux:
- Watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew are some of the low-acidic melons that you can use to make fruit salad. And add a few blueberries as well.
- Bananas can be another good less-acidic option to blend in a blueberry smoothie
- Among other fiber enriched fruits, Apple stands out the most. This makes it a very good alternative for people with stomach acidity issues by improving their metabolism.
FAQs
Do blueberries aggravate acid reflux?
There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on individuals’ individual circumstances. Some people who experience acid reflux may find that eating blueberries aggravates the condition, while others may not have any adverse effects. It is important to speak with a healthcare provider about any potential acid reflux concerns before indulging in blueberry consumption.
How much acid is in blueberries?
1% to 2%. Blueberries are high in antioxidants and as a result, they have a low acidity level.
What fruit is low in acid?
These fruits are in low acid: Avocados, Persimmon Fuyu, Cantaloupe, Olives, black, Honeydew melon, Mangoes ripe, Dates, Honeydew.
Bottom Line
So, are blueberries acidic? The answer should be clear to you by now. You see, it’s a healthy practice to have acidic foods with temperance to avoid stomach acidity.
In short, blueberries are acidic, but they’re not harmfully acidic to cause any major issue and are good for people who suffer from acid flux if consumed in normal amounts.
