Antioxidants In Blueberries Improve Brain Function In Older Individuals

The benefits of blueberries have been proclaimed for quite some time. They are on every list of the most powerfully rich antioxidant foods and the berries are easy to incorporate into a well-balanced diet. In a recent study, it was shown that the juice within the berry can help a specific issue that many older people begin to face: cognitive impairment.

For healthy individuals between the ages of 65 and 77, drinking concentrated blueberry juice at least once a day can help to improve memory and cognitive function. This is due to the berrys flavonoid capacity, which has anti-inflammatory properties that help to regulate certain changes in the brain that often accompany getting older. This age range is when many start to experience issues with remembering things or with certain cognitive tasks. This is because there is an amount of swelling that the tissue and cells can do when they age. This can often lead to serious conditions such as Alzheimers and dementia.

A Blueberry A Day

Based on this studys findings, incorporating a glass of blueberry concentrate per day can eliminate these symptoms and common occurrences in this age group. Dr. Joanna Bowtell says that our cognitive function tends to decline as we get older, but previous research has shown that cognitive function is better preserved in healthy older adults with a diet rich in plant-based foods.

The study showed that a mere 12 weeks of consistent consumption of at least 30ml of concentrated blueberry juice daily helps to activate the brain, stimulating blood flow and improving certain aspects of working memory in older adults who are already moderately healthy. Twenty-six adults took part in this study. While 12 were given the proper allotted amount of blueberry juice, the other 14 received a placebo. Once the 12-week period of time elapsed, all participants took a bevy of cognitive assessments and underwent MRI scans.

Compared to the group that took the placebo, the blueberry juice drinkers showed significant and notable increases to their amounts of brain activity. All participants were instructed to continue partaking in their normal dietary habits and to not consume more than five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Another study has shown that the risk for dementia is significantly lowered in those who have a high regular consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Importance Of Nutritional Value

This makes a lot of sense as the natural positive components within those foods can and do feed and fuel the brain. Poor dietary choices not only lead to problems like heart disease and diabetes, but can also lead to the formation of plaque in the brain that leads to cognitive impairments.

The flavonoids that are present in many plants help to counteract the effects of old age. Antioxidants have a canny ability to provide the body with assistance with certain necessities. Incorporating foods that have been dubbed superfoods or foods with high mineral and vitamin components should be added into a regular diet as often as possible. There's a reason that getting a healthy dose of fruits and vegetables is so essential. Their importance does not expire after exiting childhood, but is vital throughout the course of our entire lives. Being privy to which foods have the most nutritional value is essential.


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