Scientific studies show that wild blueberries can impact brain health, especially in older age. Wild blueberries might help prevent certain age-related degenerative disease. Consult with your doctor before trying to prevent, treat or cure any condition with wild blueberries.
Active Compounds
Wild blueberries contain a group of plant chemicals called anthocyanins. In the body, anthocyanins have been found to have an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect, according to a study published in 2010 in the "Journal Agricultural and Food Chemistry." An antioxidant is something that protects cells of the body from death caused by free radical damage. Although free radicals are a natural byproduct of cellular metabolism, they can attach to and harm healthy cells. Therefore, antioxidants are a major component of the fight against the anti-aging process of cells, including neurons, which are brain cells.
Learning and Memory
Memory loss is common in older age because of changes that occur in the brain, such as hormonal. One of the factors that contributes to the loss of brain function is oxidative stress, which wild blueberry might help prevent. A study published in March 2009 in "Behavioral Brain Research" found that wild blueberry extract improved learning ability and memory in a group of mice.
Vision
Vision tends to decline with age, and some evidence points to wild blueberry as a potential eye-protecting fruit. Animal studies have revealed that it can benefit retinal health. For example, a study published in 2011 in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" found that wild blueberry extract protected the retinas of rabbits after they were exposed to UV rays.
Preparation
Wild blueberries apparently do not have to be eaten raw to provide benefits to age-related conditions. They also might provide benefits if cooked and eaten as foods such as pie or jams. A study published in 2009 in the "International of Food Sciences and Nutrition" found that the antioxidants in wild blueberry remained intact even after cooking. In fact, pan-fried wild blueberries had the highest levels of antioxidants in comparison with baked, simmered and a control group of fresh wild blueberries, according to the study.
References
- "ACS Publications"; Blueberry Supplementation Improves Memory in Older Adults; Robert Krikorian, Marcelle D. Shidler, Tiffany A. Nash, et al.; 2010
- "Behavioral Brain Research"; Effect of a Polyphenol-Rich Wild Blueberry Extract on Cognitive Performance of Mice, Brain Antioxidant Markers and Acetylcholinesterase Activity; M.A. Papandreou, A. Dimakopoulou, Z.L. Linardaki; March 2009
- "ACS Publication"; Identification of Anthocyanin Components of Wild Chinese Blueberries and Amelioration of Light-Induced Retinal Damage in Pigmented Rabbit Using Whole Berries; Yixiang Liu, Xue Song, Yong Han, et al.; 2011
- "InformaHealthcare"; Cooking does not Decrease Hydrophilic Antioxidant Capacity of Wild Blueberries; Rebecca Ree Murphy, Michael H. Renfroe, Patricia Bowling Brevard, et al.; 2009
