Blueberry pie filling
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
Blueberry pie filling is a thick, glossy, sweetened preparation of blueberries cooked with sugar and a starch thickener like cornstarch. It features plump, jammy berries suspended in a viscous, syrupy sauce with a vibrant purple-blue hue. Nutritionally, it is a high-carbohydrate, sugar-dense food, providing nearly 45g of carbs and 38g of sugar per 100g, with minimal protein or fat.
Calorie split: 1% protein · 98% carbs · 1% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its intense, sweet-tart blueberry flavor and its luscious, spoonable texture that perfectly complements flaky pastry crusts. It is a beloved staple in American baking, evoking nostalgia and serving as a versatile filling for pies, cobblers, and pastries.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Its high sugar content (nearly 38g per 100g) can cause rapid blood-sugar spikes, making it unsuitable for those managing diabetes without careful portioning. To mitigate this, pair a small serving with a source of protein or healthy fat (like a dollop of Greek yogurt or a handful of nuts) to slow sugar absorption, and practice strict portion control.
Key benefits
- Provides a quick source of energy from carbohydrates.
- Contains some dietary fiber from the blueberries.
- Offers a convenient way to incorporate fruit into desserts.
- Rich in anthocyanins, the pigments that give blueberries their color and have antioxidant properties.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The thick, glossy texture of pie filling is achieved using a starch like cornstarch or tapioca, which gelatinizes when heated with liquid, creating a clear, shiny gel that coats the berries without clouding the vibrant purple color.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 54.7 g |
| Energy | 181 kcal |
| Protein | 0.41 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.20 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 44.4 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 2.6 g |
| Total Sugars | 37.8 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 27.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.80 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 10.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 12.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 115 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 12.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.10 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.11 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 0.40 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.70 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.02 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.03 mg |
| Niacin | 0.09 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.03 mg |
| Folate, total | 1.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 1.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 1.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 3.8 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 1.0 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 13.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 33.0 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.23 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 3.9 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.00 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Pie, blueberry, commercially prepared — USDA does not publish this profile for Blueberry pie filling.
| Tryptophan | 0.03 g |
| Threonine | 0.05 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.07 g |
| Leucine | 0.13 g |
| Lysine | 0.06 g |
| Methionine | 0.03 g |
| Cystine | 0.04 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.09 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.05 g |
| Valine | 0.08 g |
| Arginine | 0.07 g |
| Histidine | 0.04 g |
| Alanine | 0.06 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.08 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.58 g |
| Glycine | 0.06 g |
| Proline | 0.20 g |
| Serine | 0.09 g |
FAQ
Is blueberry pie filling the same as blueberry jam?
No. Pie filling is typically thicker, less sweet than jam, and contains whole or large pieces of fruit suspended in a starchy gel. Jam is more uniformly mashed, has a higher sugar concentration, and uses pectin as a thickener.
Can I use canned blueberry pie filling for other desserts?
Yes, it's very versatile. It works well as a topping for ice cream, yogurt, or pancakes, as a filling for crepes or pastries, or swirled into cake batter or cheesecake.
How should I store opened blueberry pie filling?
Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it. It will keep for about 3-5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it for up to 3 months, though the texture may become slightly softer upon thawing.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 1.81 kcal/g · 1% calories from protein · 2.6 g fiber · 37.8 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.10 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.