We’ve all heard for a long time about the health benefits of diets full of fresh fruits and vegetables. As one who loves both, I am happy to comply with this recommendation. Recently, I have been hearing more and more about some very big benefits of a very small fruit – blueberries.
Evidence shows that eating blueberries may reverse or slow memory loss and be beneficial in the treatment of diseases like Alzheimer’s. Blueberries are both high in antioxidants and effective at combating inflammation; both are believed to be important contributors in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
Recent evidence suggests that adding blueberries and other flavonoid-rich foods to your diet may increase activity in the part of the brain which controls learning and memory. Flavonoids are the substance responsible for the colors of fruits and vegetables with those wonderful hues of orange, yellow, red and dark green. The USDA recommends that we get at least four to five servings of vegetables or fruits per day. In order to get the most benefit from their flavonoid content, fruits and vegetables should be eaten raw or cooked as little as possible.
Donald Niepagen (donald.niepagen@cmsschicago.org)