Blueberries may help sharpen your cognitive abilities, according to new research conducted by Tufts University and the National Institute on Aging.

After injecting male rats with kainic acid in order to simulate the oxidative stress that happens with aging, researchers discovered that the rats fed a diet having 2% blueberry extract performed better navigating through a maze than those rats not fed the compound.

Blueberries on the Brain

Another study carried out by the same scientists discovered that rats that ate blueberries demonstrated increased cell growth in their brain’s hippocampus region. Researchers believe the dark blue pigment in blueberries - anthocyanin - is behind these cognitive behavioral changes. Anthocyanin contains chemicals which researchers suspect may traverse the blood-brain barrier and reside in areas of the brain that control memory and learning.

A Tasty Hint

Help yourself to better mental health by stocking up on blueberries, especially when fresh and on sale. Sprinkle them over pancakes, yogurt or cereal, or add them to your smoothie. Oh, and don’t hesitate to buy frozen blueberries in their off-season. They are just as nourishing.

Steve Daitch is the Social Media Manager at Mind360.com - a leading scientific brain training games developer for boosting your memory, attention, executive functions, reasoning, and other key cognitive skills. As a Mind360 visitor you simply select your own Personal Training Program, which comes complete with a personal coach and constant feedback to ensure your swift and visible progress.