Mentally tired? Can’t focus on the playbook / work / anything else later in the day? Try eating berries or drinking a berry shake.
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Berries give your brain a boost after it’s been fried from a cognitively-challenging day.
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In this study adults ages 20 – 30 completed a cognitive test after an overnight fast. After the test they drank a shake with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries (1.75 total portions of berries) in water or a placebo (matched for carbohydrate content and vitamin C) + a standard low flavonoid breakfast (~400 calories). They completed the same test 2, 4 and 6 hours after the initial baseline test. A standardized lunch was given in between the 2nd and 3rd tests.
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💥The group who drank the placebo drink had a progressive decline in performance as they became cognitively fatigued during the day. Those who drank the berry shake maintained accuracy on all cognitive tests and scored better on attention and ability to switch tasks.
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Studies show blueberries and 🍓 may help support healthy memory in older age. Research in the elderly show some berries improve memory while others may improve blood flow in the brain. Additional research shows blueberries, blueberry concentrate or freeze-dried blueberries improve cognitive performance, particularly in short and long-term memory and spatial memory (the ability to know where you are, help you nagivate a route etc.).
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How do berries work? They may help brain functioning through naturally occurring compounds called flavonoids. Population-based studies show flavonoid rich diets help protect older adults from cognitive decline and dementia. Flavonoids are also found in tea, cocoa, citrus fruit, and green leafy veggies. Berries seem to protect brain cells from damage and support how nerve cells communicate.
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👉 Make your shake even better (for your brain, body) by brewing green tea (2 bags in 8-10 oz. of boiling water; or sit those bags in a glass jar of cold water in the sun 🌞 for several hours). Use this green tea as the base for your berry shake.
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How do you enjoy berries?
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PMID: 31698695
PMID: 22535616
PMID: 30941401
PMID: 28283823
PMID: 28249119
PMID: 30999017