New Study Suggests Blueberries Might Help Boost Brain Function

doitvoluntarily (77)in #food • 7 years ago

According to a recent study by researchers in England, which has been published in the journal Food & Function , consuming blueberries might help to boost brain function and improve reaction times in children by roughly 9 percent.

Researchers at the University of Reading allege that the flavonoids found in the blueberries are responsible for helping to improve brain cell communication.

The study involved a group of 21 school-aged participants who were between 7 and 10 years old. Those participants were required to perform a cognitive attention task roughly 3 hours after a consuming blueberry drink or a matched placebo drink. The results showed that they had a dramatic and noticeable improvement in performing those tasks after consuming the blueberry drink.

The same researchers a few years ago conducted a similar study, which also showed results that indicated blueberries might have some very powerful healing properties. Researchers attributed the benefits to anthocyanins that are found in the fruit; alleged to help protect against a variety of illness.

In their previous research from a few years ago, children were required to perform the attention tasks on 3 separate occasions. For one of those occasions they had consumed a sugary water drink, for another they consumed a medium-strength blueberry drink, and on the third occasion they consumed a high-strength blueberry drink. The best results were seen following the consumption of the high-strength blueberry drink.

Researchers say that this is the first time that they've been able to better understand the effects of flavonoids on the executive function of children, specifically with relation to attention for young individuals.

However, though this is the first study that might have specifically analyzed attention in young individuals, this isn't the first study to suggest that blueberries could play a role in helping to provide a variety of health benefits.

Nutritionists and health experts have for years promoted the consumption of blueberries and highlighted their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Previous studies have also indicated that blueberries might help to improve brain function in older people as well. And some studies suggest that it might be able to help to boost brain function by as much as 20 percent. It's alleged that consuming the fruit might also help to prevent dementia and Alzheimer's. It's no wonder that many consider this berry a super food.

pics:
Pixabay

The information that is posted above is not intended or implied to ever be used as any substitute for professional medical advice, or diagnosis or treatment. The above is posted for informational purposes only.

Sources:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/10/13/blueberries-boost-childrens-brainpower-study-finds/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/news/blueberry-juice-boosts-brainpower/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/7959937/Eat-berries-to-keep-the-brain-young.html
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/carleton-bryant/blueberries-aid-brain-pow_b_309439.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170307100356.htm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4984978/Blueberries-help-children-s-reaction-times.html