March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Blueberry’s secrets focus of research

BANGOR — Blueberries best other fruits and vegetables in slowing the effects of aging, but their secret weapon is still a mystery, two researchers said Wednesday.

The scientists from the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston were at a Bangor hotel for the annual meeting of the Wild Blueberry Association of North America.

Researchers James Joseph and Barbara Shukitt-Hale presented some of their findings at the meeting.

They said they understand that blueberries, like strawberries and spinach, contain antioxidants. These are chemicals that neutralize molecules called free radicals, which occur naturally during life. As people age, they lose the ability to deal with these free radicals. That slows memory and movement.

The Tufts researchers said that although they know blueberries increase memory retention and mobility, they expect to find out within a year what specifically in blueberries makes that possible.

Researchers have put rats through tests to determine the effects of foods on their memory and movements. The rats were given spinach, strawberries and blueberries, among other foods.

One test had rats run on a rotarod, which rolls faster as the rat progresses. Another test is called the Morris water maze, in which a rat is placed in a container of water and must find the safety of a raised platform.

Rats that ate blueberries outperformed the others, Shukitt-Hale said.

That’s a message not lost on the blueberry association.

“This is a wonderful consumer and trade message,” said John Sauve, executive director of the association. “In the past, our products were bought because of their taste. We expect the health story to help increase demand.

“But the key is to eat a balanced diet. We tell our kids: `Eat your fruits and vegetables.’ All we ask now is to make one of them blue.”


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