Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, can improve cognition and affect metabolism and brain function, and have been experimentally proven to prevent neurodegenerative diseases early and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Seattle, WA (Merxwire) – According to WHO statistics, more than 55 million people worldwide have dementia, which is estimated to increase to 75 million in 2030. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common among them, accounting for about 70% of all cases. At present, there is no practical way to treat dementia. It can only be prevented through diet and exercise habits. A study published in the journal “Nutrients” found that adding blueberries to the daily diet of middle-aged people can reduce the risk of dementia in old age.
Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects memory, cognition, language, and behavior, severely interfering with daily life. Robert Krikorian, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati in the United States, has been researching the effects of blueberries on the nervous system for many years and found that eating blueberries can improve cognitive ability of the elderly brain.
As early as 2012, scientists have found that regular intake of berries can delay cognitive function deterioration. To better understand whether blueberries can prevent dementia, Robert Krikorian’s research team first found 33 subjects who were subjectively judged to have cognitive decline, overweight, BMI greater than 24, and an average age between 50-65 years old. For a 12-week trial, they were given either freeze-dried blueberry powder or a placebo powder, one sachet per day mixed with water. During the experiment, the subjects were required to avoid eating any berries. The blueberry powder served in the experimental group was equivalent to eating nearly half a cup of fresh blueberries.
It was found that after 12 weeks of consuming blueberry powder, it showed improvement in cognitive tasks of executive control and fasting insulin values. Krikorian believes that the reason is that blueberries help increase the concentration of mitochondrial uncoupling protein (Mitochondrial Uncoupling) in the body, improve metabolic function and enhance energy production in cells.
Why are blueberries so powerful? As the only pure blue fruit in the world, blueberries are rich in anthocyanins, which have been proven by the scientific community to have antioxidant effects and can cross the blood-brain barrier to reach the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and learning. In the body, it is beneficial to cell signaling and helps to delay brain function decline.
Of course, due to the small number of experimental samples and the short experimental time, it is difficult to prove that blueberries effectively prevent dementia immediately. Still, blueberries are healthy and nutritious, and they are easy to enjoy whether they are fresh or frozen. Adding blueberries to your diet, It’s suitable for eating healthy, and it’s a great fruit.