Genius Foods

(John Hannent) #1

Genius Food #3


Blueberries


Of all commonly consumed fruits and vegetables,
blueberries are among the highest in antioxidant capacity
because of their abundance of compounds called flavonoids.
Flavonoids are a class of polyphenol compounds that are
found in many of the Genius Foods (you may remember
oleocanthal, in extra-virgin olive oil, which is a type of
phenol).
The most abundant flavonoids in blueberries are
anthocyanins, which have been shown to cross the blood-
brain barrier, enhancing signaling in parts of the brain that


handle memory.^1 Astonishingly, these beneficial
anthocyanins accumulate in the brain’s hippocampus. My
friend Robert Krikorian, the director of the Cognitive Aging
Program at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health
Center, is one of the foremost researchers looking into the
effects of blueberries on memory function in humans. Dr.
Krikorian has published research showing a robust benefit
to cognitive function with blueberry consumption; in one
such example, twelve weeks of blueberry supplementation
improved memory function and mood and reduced fasting


blood sugar in older adults at risk for dementia.^2
Observational research is just as compelling. A six-year
study of 16,010 older adults found that consumption of

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