A new British scientific study using blueberries on human subjects came out in April, 2008. It found that “phytochemical-rich foods, such as blueberries, are effective at reversing age-related deficits in memory.” The wording implied that there are a number of “phytochemical-rich foods” that would improve memory. But which foods are they?
More Foods That Improve Memory
The USDA study on rats found that extracts of blueberry, strawberry or spinach all improved short-term memory, but only blueberries improved balance and coordination as well. The British researchers, however, used only blueberries -- one-half cup daily for 12 weeks -- with their human subjects, and found that “improvements in spatial working memory tasks emerged within three weeks and continued throughout the period of the study.”
As it turns out, these researchers have big plans for trying other foods rich in flavonoids on people with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s. But they haven’t got to it yet. So they can’t really say whether strawberries or spinach or any number of other foods might be equally beneficial to older people with and without Alzheimer’s.
What Exactly Are These Phytochemical-Rich Foods?
I went to ANSWERS.COM, which has many specialized dictionaries and encyclopedias. ANSWERS.COM says that a phytochemical is “a member of a wide range of chemicals found in fruits and vegetables that may have beneficial effects on human health. Phytochemicals are biologically very active. They include antioxidants, phyto-oestrogens, and compounds that modify potential toxins and carcinogens.”
And WIKIPEDIA.ORG says that “foods high in phytonutrients, or superfoods, are:
“- soy – protease inhibitors, beta sitosterol, saponins, phytic acid, isoflavones
- tomato – lycopene, beta carotene, vitamin C
- broccoli – vitamin C, 3,3'-Diindolylmethane, sulphoraphane, lignans, selenium
- garlic – thiosulphonates, limonene, quercitin
- flax seeds and oil seeds – lignans
- citrus fruits – monoterpenes, coumarin, cryptoxanthin, vitamin C, ferulic acid, oxalic acid
- blueberries – tannic acid, lignans, anthocyanins
- sweet potatoes – beta carotene
- chilli peppers – capsaicin
- legumes: beans, peas, lentils – omega fatty acids, saponins, catechins, quercetin, lutein, lignans.”
The truth is that scientists have only begun to study the phytochemical-rich “superfoods.” They don’t even know what all the superfoods are, much less what they can do. We can therefore look forward to many more important discoveries about the role of superfoods in our diet.