If you're feeling a little foggy, perhaps a handful of blueberries could help. Blueberries contain antioxidants and compounds that could help enhance cognition and other brain functions, if you believe the hype. While studies on blueberry benefits on brain function are still ongoing, scientists are studying the small but possibly mighty blueberry for its health benefits.
Ingredients
The active ingredients in blueberries include flavonoids, plant compounds that may have anti-viral, anti-platelet, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and antioxidant properties, the Linus Pauling Institute reports. The flavonoids in blueberries, which may aid in improving brain function, include flavonols myricetin and quercetin; anthocyanidins, which give blueberries their deep blue color; and Flavan-3-ols, including epicatechin.
Studies
Most current studies on the effects of blueberries on thinking were done on rats and other animals, not on people. Researchers from the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University conducted a rat study reported in the August 2008 issue of "Nutritional Neuroscience" on the effects of polyphenols from blueberries on brain function after toxic insult to the brain. The study found that blueberry polyphenols improved learning ability after brain injury; polyphenols also reduced inflammation. Researchers from the same institution published an article in the June 2003 issue of "Nutritional Neuroscience" which found that blueberry supplementation might overcome the genetic predisposition for developing Alzheimer's disease.
Benefits
Flavonoids have antioxidant benefits. Antioxidants scavenge and destroy free radicals, unpaired electrons that can damage cellular DNA. Flavonoids may also decrease platelet activity, which prevents clots from forming in blood vessels that can lead to cardiovascular disease. One measure of antioxidant activity in a particular food is the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, or ORAC, measurement of a food. Blueberries have a very high ORAC score, according to an article published in the May/June 2009 issue of "Wellness Foods Europe."
Considerations
Science hasn't yet established a definite connection between eating blueberries and staying mentally sharp or avoiding Alzheimer's disease in humans. Many fruits and vegetables contain flavonoids; blueberries do contain quercetin, the most abundant dietary flavonol and the most antioxidant, according to Linus Pauling Institute.
References
- "Wellness Foods Europe"; Functional Foods and Antioxidants; May/June 2009
- Unites States Department of Agriculture; Food for the Aging Mind; August 2007
- "Nutritional Neuroscience"; Blueberry Polyphenols Attenuate Kainic Acid-Induced Decrements in Cognition and Alter Inflammatory Gene Expression in Rat Hippocampus; B. Shukitt-Hale , et al.; August 2008
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods -- 2003
- Linus Pauling Institute; Antioxidant Activities of Flavonoids; Donald Buhler, et al.; November 2000
- "Nutritional Neuroscience"; Blueberry Supplementation Enhances Signaling and Prevents Behavioral Deficits in an Alzheimer Disease Model; J. Joseph, et al.; June 2003
