Blueberries for YouthfulnessA study reported in the Journal of Neuroscience a couple years back showed that blueberries can have some fantastic health benefits -- at least for rats. If they work the way scientists believe they do, then there is no reason to think that humans won't have substantial benefits as well, though common sense suggests that expecting The Fountain of Youth may be a bit too much to hope for. In a study at Tufts University in Boston, elderly laboratory rats were fed the human equivalent of 1/2 cup of blueberries daily. The animals showed improved short term memory, balance and coordination in comparison to those not receiving the supplement. Scientists believe this is due to the anti-oxidents present in blueberries, which protect the body from oxidative stress, one of the contributing factors in cell aging. Strawberries, spinach and blueberries all rank high in anti-oxident content, which allows the body to remove oxygen free radicals that can damage cells. Extracts from all three were tested, and while scientists found that they all helped improve short term memory, only the blueberry extract improved balance and coordination. Scientists did not know the exact chemical processes at work, and could not explain why blueberries worked better than strawberries or spinach. The rats used in the study were 19 months old, the equivalent of 65 to 70 years in human terms. The test used to measure balance consisted of having the rats cross a narrow beam, and measure how long it takes before they lose their balance. Young rats, under 12 months, can retain their balance on average for 13 seconds. By the time they are 19 months, the average drops to five seconds. Those rats receiving the supplemental blueberry extract for eight weeks prior to the test kept their balance for an average of 11 seconds. This is one of those Win-Win reports -- even if they are somehow mistaken, it seems obvious that blueberries are a good fruit to include in your diet -- they taste great -- so what do you have to lose? And if they are right, we can look forward to living healthier and presumably longer, just by indulging in a tasty treat! |
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