Boost your brain with blueberries

An article in yesterday’s Sunday Times, by science editor Jonathan Leake, confirms something raw food fans already know:

“Human brainpower and happiness are intimately linked with what we eat, with some foods providing an instant boost to our mental acuity and mood.”

The article reports on recent research showing that brain function is closely linked to the levels of micronutrients in food, stating that, “it has long been known they are vital for long-term physical health, but their rapid impact on mood and brainpower is only just emerging.”

For example, tests at Reading University found that eating blueberries can boost brain function for up to five hours – volunteers who drank a blueberry smoothie in the morning did much better at mental tasks in the afternoon than those who had an alternative drink. The flavonoid content of blueberries is thought to be the reason.

To interject my own commentary, flavonoids are a class of phytonutrient, there are literally thousands of phytonutrients that are essential for optimum health, and the hands-down best source of them is raw fruits and vegetables.

The article also reported that while foods such as blueberries have been shown to have an immediate effect, “dark green vegetables, eaten over days and weeks, can help ward off low moods and depression.”

(I’d link to the article if I could – unfortunately The Times does not allow that anymore so I’ve shared the parts I thought would be most of interest to you, dear reader, and left out the nutrition advice from it that was, in my opinion, typical mainstream media silliness.)