The Power of Blueberries!

Blueberries have been getting some attention in the scientific world recently. Studies are confirming that blueberries can lower systolic blood pressure to a significant degree, and that blueberries for breakfast can increase learning in school age children and adults over 60.

Boosting Brain Power

Early research shows that eating 30 grams of freeze dried wild blueberries as a single dose might improve learning in children 7-10 years old.

Other early research shows that drinking 12 grams of powdered blueberry mixed with water twice daily for 3 months, the equivalent of eating one cup of fresh blueberries daily, improves certain types of mental function in adults over 60.

Lowering Blood Pressure

Based on small studies by several different groups, researchers have found that eating the equivalent of 100 grams of blueberries for 4 weeks, twice a day is associated with systolic blood pressure lowering that is equivalent to the effect of BP-lowering medications.

Investigators believe anthocyanins, compounds with antioxidant effects and the pigments that give red, purple, and blue plants their color, are responsible for this beneficial effect on the vascular system, improving endothelial function in as little as 2 weeks.

While it is too early to start recommending blueberries as therapy to the general public, and larger, long term studies are needed, these recent studies yet again confirm that eating healthy and, in particular, choosing a plant-based diet rich in phytochemicals is beneficial to overall healthiness.

For more information, click on the links below.

• NCBI: Dietary blueberry improves cognition among older adults in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
• NCBI: Cognitive effects following acute wild blueberry supplementation in 7- to 10-year-old children.
• ‘Blue’ in Blueberries Tied to BP Lowering that Rivals Medication