Berries
From the YapSpan Longevity Wiki · Updated 2026-10-01
Berries are small, soft, often brightly coloured fruits, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and cranberries. They are rich in flavonoids, a large family of plant compounds that includes the anthocyanins responsible for their red, blue and purple colours. Berries are eaten fresh, frozen, dried or in juices and jams.
In one nationally representative US study of 37,232 adults, people who ate any berries had 21% lower all-cause mortality (death from any cause) than people who ate none [1]. This is a single cohort (a group of people followed over time), not a pooled analysis of many studies, and its design is observational, so it shows an association rather than proof of cause.
- Eating any berries went with a hazard ratio (a measure of how fast deaths occur in one group compared with another) of 0.79 for all-cause mortality, or 21% lower, compared with eating none [1].
- Strawberries, blueberries and cranberries were each linked to lower all-cause mortality than not eating them, by 14%, 21% and 31% [1].
- In two large US cohorts, increasing blueberry intake by 3.5 servings a week was linked to 5% lower mortality [2].
- In the Nurses' Health Study II, frequent blueberry and strawberry eaters had lower all-cause mortality than non-consumers [3].
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YapSpan estimates are for reflection and entertainment only. They are not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a prediction of any individual outcome. Check with a doctor before making any medical decision.