Berries Boost Brain Health

BOSTONBerries pack a nutritional punch due to their vitamin, fiber and antioxidant content, and now a new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests eating tasty blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and other berry fruits help boost brain health and may even prevent age-related memory loss.

Researchers at the USDA-ARS Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University analyzed the strength of the evidence about berry fruits, they extensively reviewed cellular, animal and human studies on the topic. They concluded berries change the way neurons in the brain communicate, and the changes in signaling can prevent inflammation in the brain that contribute to neuronal damage and improve both motor control and cognition.

They noted further research will show whether these benefits are a result of individual compounds shared between berry fruits or whether the unique combinations of chemicals in each berry fruit simply have similar effects.