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A study from Tufts University that studied the antioxidants in 60 fruits and vegetables, blueberries received the highest rating in their ability to destroy free radicals. Now a preliminary study led by the University of Cincinnati (UC) says that eating blueberries daily can help improve memory.

The research studied nine adults in their seventies with early memory decline to determine blueberries' effectiveness as a memory enhancer. The promising results will lead to comprehensive clinical trials, according to Robert Krikorian, PhD, an associate professor in the psychiatry department of the UC College of Medicine.

Participants drank 2 cups of commercial-grade blueberry juice a day for 12 weeks while a placebo group drank a berry beverage. The blueberry drinkers experienced significant improvement in learning and memory tests.

"These preliminary memory findings are encouraging and suggest that consistent supplementation with blueberries may offer an approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration," the report says.

The study, “Blueberry Supplementation Improves Memory in Older Adults," can be found in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Blueberry Benefits

• Improve short-term memory loss

• Ameliorate age-related declines in neural and cognitive function

• Improve eyesight and protect against macular degeneration of the retina

• Promote urinary tract health

• Act as a potent anti-inflamatory agent and COX-2 inhibitor*

• Improve glucose metabolism through the activity of chologenic acid

• Reduce the risk of some cancers