When I was a boy each summer we would pick blueberries right off bushes in the backyard and make blueberry ice cream, pies and pancakes. These days any time I have fresh blueberries I am mentally returned to those days. As a nutritionist I understand that taste can be one of the strongest memory stimulators, however now I am wondering if the blueberries themselves don’t play a role as well. That’s because the results of a new study published in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests that blueberries can support memory function. Blueberries contain polyphenolic nutrients called anthocyanins that not only color the berry blue but also imparts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Based on these properties many scientists believe that blueberries, along with other fruits such as tomatos and grapes as well as teas support healthy brain function. So the brainy thing to do is to eat a diet that includes fresh fruits and DHA containing fish or supplements and live a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise for the body and the mind (e.g. puzzles, Sudoku), plenty of sleep and no smoking.

Dr Wildman is the author of The Nutritionist: Food, Nutrition and Optimal Health and creator of TheNutritionDr.com.