What is round, blue, tasty, and may just help improve your memory? You got it, blueberries! Statistics show an increase in per capita consumption from .2 pounds in 2000 to 2.3 pounds in 2021. While we don’t know if the increase in consumption is because they taste good , or because they are great for our health, we do know there is evidence that they may protect our brain and body!
A study from King’s College in London showed that adding around 3/4 cups of wild blueberries to your diet each day can help improve memory, reduce blood pressure, enhance reaction time and cognitive function.
The twelve-week study involved a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial of 61 healthy men and women aged 65-80 who consumed the equivalent of 178 grams of whole blueberries. the control group consumed a placebo. The researchers discovered that those volunteers who ate blueberries showed improvements in memory, did better on attention tasks, and had lower blood pressure. The test group also experienced an increase in arterial dilation, which helps lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Leading researcher, Dr. Rodriguez-Mateos hypothesized that, “…the blue pigments, the anthocyanins, which are a type of polyphenol also present in other foods such as strawberries, raspberries, red grapes and purple vegetables, are behind these effects as increases in their metabolites were seen in the urine of the volunteers after 12 weeks of consumption.”
The next time you are grocery shopping, don’t forget the blueberries-your brain and body will thank you!
https://neurosciencenews.com/cognition-blueberry-diet-22925/
