Berries Are Best For The Brain

Everyone has heard the phrase, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away," and we all wish that phrase was true (I know I do). If that was the case, apples would be sold out from the grocery shelves the same way toilet paper was during the peak of Covid-19. Luckily, apples are still very abundant and available for our convenience. Berries, on the other hand, are a superfood that stands a better chance of keeping the doctor away, along with a handful of disorders and diseases. And the best part is, berries are great for brain health because of their cornucopia of antioxidants. They are considered a superfood because they are antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory. I don't know about you, but I love a good berry, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, elderberries, goji berries (you name it *in my Shirley Caesar voice*).

In my previous blog article, Sugar On The Brain, I talked about fructose (fruit sugar) being a huge concern for brain health (be sure to give that article a read) and how it can potentially lead to neurodegenerative issues. A few people panicked thinking they should steer clear of fruit altogether after reading that article. But let me be clear, whole fruit is filled with vitamins, minerals, and a bunch of beneficial stuff (like fiber) that your bodies need for optimal health. Yes, fructose is inherently in fruit, but also occurs copiously in processed foods. You may recognize it on nutrition labels as "high fructose corn syrup" or "high fructose syrup" or any variant of the sort. Those are the ones you want to steer clear of.

So, back to berries. Berries are amazing because they help prevent cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and arthritis. (Hyman, 2018) The antioxidants in berries fight the free radicals and inflammation present in the body. So what does that have to do with the brain??!! You ask good questions. Antioxidants are defined as a substance that inhibits oxidation/removes potentially damaging oxidizing agents from the body. (Apple Dictionary, 2020) And antioxidants from berries help enhance neurotransmissions and neuroplasticity of the brain, which all boils down to better cognitive functioning (Mosconi, Ph.D., 2020)

So what have we learned so far??!! Apples are great (no hating here), but berries pack a greater punch (Mayweather style), especially when it comes to brain health. The darker the berry, the better, and the more antioxidants. So live it up with more berries, do it for your brain.

Stay Healthy and Eat your medicine!

Noire Nutrition,

Aziza Lucas, NTP