Berries Protect the Aging Brain
Written By Summerside Chiropractic Clinic on December 19, 2016
You've been reading the tips on living heathier, you've combined that knowledge with action steps, and now you're probably going to live longer. Be great if you could remember where you live!!
Seriously though, if there is a way to protect brain function you need to do it to enjoy those added years more fully. There is something you can do and the research is amazing on this. One even had a placebo to prove concord grape juice had a significant effect in only 4 months of drinking around 16 oz's per day.
Other studies focused more long term on berries containing a chemical called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins give blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, bilberries, huckleberries, cranberries and stawberries their colour. In this 20 year study they found that berry eaters had slowed their cognitave decline by two and a half years! The amount consumed was only a half cup per week. No word on if "more is better" at this point but I certainly do not mind a cup of berries per day especially this time of year when they are in season.
A word of caution, as I've previously discussed, it is best to eat the actual berry instead of gulping back the juice if weight is a concern. Without the accompanying fiber in the juice it is easy to take in a lot of calories without the hunger signal being triggered to the off postion. My only exception to this is pomegranate juice. I still drink 5 oz. of this every morning because of it's artery benefits (see below). After that, I enjoy berries with my breakfast.
I have noticed that wild blueberries are more blue in the middle than cultivated. Have you? Since the anthocyanins are the beneficial substance and there is more colour in a wild blueberry I suspect the wild is a better choice. Just my own observation though.
Sorry about the gap in health tips. Little vacation in July doing some grape research over in the Penticton area!
Stay Well, Dr. D.
(July 23, 2012)
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Wellness
