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Blueberries have been shown to improve memory and learning in old rats. Now a small study indicates that aging humans may get similar benefits. Volunteers in their 70s were chosen because they were experiencing memory slips and other signs of cognitive deterioration. They drank roughly 2.5 cups of blueberry juice daily for three months. A comparable group received a placebo drink for the same period of time. The elderly subjects who drank the blueberry juice performed better on memory tests, word associations and list learning than the people drinking the placebo beverage. Bottom line...blueberries appear to be good for the brain, whether you are a rodent or a human.
[Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Jan, 2010]
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I am 67 and started this article with hope for help with my own memory lapses.
I could not drink 20 oz of blueberry juice every day.
Besides possibly turning my skin and teeth blue, what is the calory count in that much juice?
And what is the cost? Blueberries are not inexpensive - don't know about the cost of the juice.
JLB
I wish the article had referenced actual fresh blueberries and recommended daily amounts instead of juice.
What's the equivalent amount of whole blueberries?
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: AS CLOSELY AS WE CAN FIGURE IT, ABOUT 1 3/4 LB OF BERRIES IN THAT 2 1/2 CUPS OF JUICE.
I am near 50 and have heard about the effectiveness of blueberries concerning memory improvement many times. It is often a problem to find fresh blueberries, or a juice that doesn't have a lot of sugar or other additives. I think that the dried blueberries might be the best option. I am not sure if they are effective as the fresh, but that is where I am going to start.
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: FROZEN BLUEBERRIES MIGHT BE THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE FORM.
What about bilberry extract? Bilberries, which are related to blueberries are supposed to be good for retaining night vision. The British pilots took it for their night vision during World War II. Would that be a good substitute for all that blueberry juice?
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: BLUEBERRIES AND BILBERRIES ARE VERY SIMILAR, AND PROBABLY CONTAIN SIMILAR COMPOUNDS. THE ONLY QUESTION WOULD BE WHETHER THE EXTRACT CAPTURES THE RIGHT COMPOUNDS. THAT WE DO NOT KNOW.