A daily dose of blueberry juice could improve memory and stave off dementia in older adults, it emerged Friday.
Blueberries contain polyphenolic compounds replete with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects which increase signaling and slow degeneration in the brain, according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
In short, the berry juice makes drinkers think more and forget less.
The average age of participants in the trial was 78, and they were asked to drink two cups of blueberry juice every day for 12 weeks and take periodic memory tests.
Those drinking the juice rather than a placebo showed improvement over the time period and better memory in general.
Scientists hope this could be an important step in developing a cure or preventative methods for Alzheimer’s disease which affects up to 4.5 million Americans.
The small study was conducted in association with the University of Cincinnati and National Institute of Health.
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