Are Blueberries Good for Eczema?

Partly: if you tolerate blueberries, you can include them in a balanced diet, but their antioxidant compounds have not been shown to improve eczema symptoms in people.

Are blueberries a good choice for eczema?

Blueberries are a reasonable food choice for most people with eczema, but they are not a treatment for it. For a broader look at diet, see the best foods for eczema.

Eczema symptoms can change for many reasons. A flare after eating blueberries does not automatically mean they caused it, and a calmer period after eating them does not establish that they helped.

You do not need to add blueberries to your diet specifically for eczema. Likewise, there is no reason to avoid them solely because you have eczema if you eat them without problems.

How might blueberries relate to eczema?

Blueberries contain fiber and anthocyanins, the plant compounds that give them their blue-purple color. Anthocyanins have antioxidant activity, but that does not demonstrate that eating blueberries reduces skin inflammation or repairs the skin barrier in people with eczema.

Eczema involves changes in the skin barrier and immune response. Dry skin, irritants and other factors can influence symptoms, and no single food is an established fix.

Food allergy and eczema can occur together, but they are not the same condition. A clinician can assess a suspected allergy using the history of the reaction and, when appropriate, tests interpreted alongside that history. A positive allergy test alone does not prove that a food is causing eczema symptoms.

What does the evidence show?

There is no good clinical evidence that eating blueberries improves eczema. The available research is preliminary and does not establish an effective amount, form or frequency for people with the condition.

In a 2021 laboratory and animal study, researchers tested a fermented mixture of blueberry and black rice containing a bacterium. The mixture reduced measures of skin inflammation in treated cells and mice exposed to substances used to produce eczema-like inflammation.

The findings do not show that blueberries alone caused the effects: the mixture also contained black rice and bacteria. The researchers did not test ordinary blueberries as an eczema treatment in people.

Results in cells and mice cannot establish whether fresh or frozen blueberries improve eczema in people, and they do not show that blueberry infused water works. Human studies would be needed to determine whether blueberries have a meaningful effect on eczema symptoms.

How can you include blueberries safely?

If you already eat blueberries without problems, you can continue to include them in your usual diet. Try them on their own or added to plain oatmeal or yogurt, provided you also tolerate the other ingredients. There is no evidence-based serving size specifically for eczema.

Wash fresh blueberries under running water before eating them. If using frozen blueberries, follow the package directions. For babies and young children, serve blueberries mashed or cut into a developmentally appropriate size to reduce choking risk; ask their pediatrician if you are unsure.

For hydration, see the best drinks for eczema and blueberry infused water; neither is a proven eczema treatment.

Keep following your prescribed skin-care and treatment plan rather than relying on a food to control symptoms. If you think blueberries are associated with a reaction, note what was eaten, when symptoms appeared and what they looked like. Discuss the pattern with a clinician rather than repeatedly testing the food yourself.

Who should be careful, and when should you see a doctor?

Do not eat blueberries if you have been told you are allergic to them. If you suspect a food allergy, speak with a clinician before removing multiple foods from your diet or your child’s diet; unnecessary restrictions can make it harder to get adequate nutrition. Children with severe eczema or a history of food allergy may need individualized advice about introducing foods.

Concentrated blueberry supplements are not established eczema treatments. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take medication, ask your clinician or pharmacist before trying a supplement. Continue prescribed medication unless the clinician responsible for it advises otherwise.

Seek emergency help for symptoms of a severe allergic reaction after eating, such as trouble breathing, throat or tongue swelling, or faintness. Use an epinephrine auto-injector immediately if prescribed, and call emergency services.

Contact a clinician promptly if eczema becomes painful, warm or swollen, develops pus or blisters, or is accompanied by fever; these can be signs of infection. Also arrange a medical review if eczema is severe, disrupting sleep, or not improving with the care you have been advised to use.