Flavonoid-rich blueberries and strawberries offer most health benefit according to some studies. Other studies examine what healthy nutrients are in goji berries. Blueberries and strawberries, which are high in flavonoids, appear to reduce cognitive decline in older adults according to a study published in Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society. The study results suggest that cognitive aging could be delayed by up to 2.5 years in elderly who consume greater amounts of the flavonoid-rich berries.
Flavonoids are compounds found in plants that generally have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Experts believe that stress and inflammation contribute to cognitive impairment and that increasing consumption of flavonoids could mitigate the harmful effects. Previous studies of the positive effects of flavonoids, particularly anthocyanidins, are limited to animal models or very small trials in older persons, but have shown greater consumption of foods with these compounds improve cognitive function.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, elderly Americans—those 65 years of age and older—increased by 15% between 2000 and 2010, faster than the total U.S. population, which saw a 9.7% increase during the same time period. "As the U.S. population ages, understanding the health issues facing this group becomes increasingly important," said Dr. Elizabeth Devore with Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, according to the April 26, 2012 news release, Eating more berries may reduce cognitive decline in the elderly.
"Our study examined whether greater intake of berries could slow rates of cognitive decline." Also see the news releases on another study, "Berries keep your brain sharp," and "Berries keep your brain sharp | Harvard Gazette."
The study from Harvard researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) found that a high intake of flavonoid-rich berries, such as strawberries and blueberries, over time, can delay memory decline in older women by two and a half years. This study was published in the journal Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society. Check out the July 2012 study, "Dietary intakes of berries and flavonoids in relation to cognitive decline."
That study analyzed data over long period of time and on a large scale, which meant no other berry study has been conducted on such a large scale, according to the article, ""Berries keep your brain sharp | Harvard Gazette,"and the study, "Dietary intakes of berries and flavonoids in relation to cognitive decline." Scientists found that among women who consumed two or more servings of strawberries and blueberries each week , researchers saw a modest reduction in memory decline.
In the study, between 1995 and 2001, cognitive function was measured in 16,010 subjects over the age of 70 years, at 2-year intervals. Women included in the present study had a mean age of 74 and mean body mass index of 26. According to the April 26, 2012 news release, "Eating more berries may reduce cognitive decline in the elderly," The research team used data from the Nurses' Health Study—a cohort of 121,700 female, registered nurses between the ages of 30 and 55 who completed health and lifestyle questionnaires beginning in 1976. Since 1980 participants were surveyed every four years regarding their frequency of food consumption.
Increased consumption of blueberries and strawberries appear to slow cognitive decline in older women
Findings show that increased consumption of blueberries and strawberries appear to slow cognitive decline in older women. A greater intake of anthocyanidins and total flavonoids was also associated with reduce cognitive degeneration. Researchers observed that women who had higher berry intake delayed cognitive aging by up to 2.5 years. The authors caution that while they did control for other health factors in the modeling, they cannot rule out the possibility that the preserved cognition in those who eat more berries may be also influenced by other lifestyle choices, such as exercising more.
"We provide the first epidemiologic evidence that berries may slow progression of cognitive decline in elderly women," notes Dr. Devore in the news release, Eating more berries may reduce cognitive decline in the elderly. "Our findings have significant public health implications as increasing berry intake is a fairly simple dietary modification to test cognition protection in older adults."
For further information, check out the abstract of the study, "Dietary Intake of Berries and Flavonoids in Relation to Cognitive Decline." Authors include: Elizabeth E. Devore, Jae Hee Kang, Monique M.B. Breteler and Francine Grodstein. Check out the Annals of Neurology; Published online, April 26, 2012. Wiley is the publisher.
Some health benefits of berries may not make it past your mouth
Research has suggested that compounds that give colorful fruits their rich hues, especially berries, promote health and might even prevent cancer. But for the first time, scientists have exposed extracts from numerous berries high in those pigments to human saliva to see just what kinds of health-promoting substances are likely to survive and be produced in the mouth.
It's too early to name the best berry for health promotion based on this initial work. But the researchers have discovered that two families of pigments that provide berries with their colors, called anthocyanins, are more susceptible to degradation in the mouth than are the other four classes of these pigments.
The Ohio State University study also showed that bacteria living in the mouth are responsible for most of the breakdown of these compounds that occurs in saliva. Researchers are investigating whether it's the berry pigments themselves, or instead the products of their degradation, that actually promote health.
Scientist say that these early findings will contribute to the further development of confectionaries, gums and other delivery devices for the prevention and possibly the treatment of conditions such as periodontal disease and oral cancers.
The researchers exposed extracts of anthocyanin pigments from blueberries, chokeberries, black raspberries, red grapes and strawberries to the saliva collected from 14 people. Black raspberries, in particular, have been shown in numerous previous studies to have chemopreventive effects on tumors in the mouth, esophagus and colon, mostly in animal studies. Their high anthocyanin content has been linked to those benefits.
"All fruits are unique because their chemical composition, or fingerprint, varies," said Mark Failla, according to the January 28, 2013 news release, "Some health benefits of berries may not make it past your mouth." Mark Failla is a professor of human nutrition at Ohio State and interim chair of the Department of Human Sciences. Failla explained, "There are many different edible berries. Some might be better for providing health-promoting effects within the oral cavity, whereas others may be more beneficial for colonic health. We simply do not know at this time.
"Increased intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk of some chronic diseases. An understanding of the metabolism of these compounds, and the relative activities of the compounds in the consumed fruit and their metabolic products, is needed to make scientifically sound dietary recommendations and to develop effective delivery vehicles for the mouth," Failla explained in the news release. The research is published in a recent issue of the journal Food Chemistry.
Saliva studied to test the six families of anthocyanin pigments in the fruits
Failla and colleagues asked 14 healthy individuals between the ages of 21 and 55 years to collect saliva in the morning before they had eaten breakfast or brushed their teeth. Research participants later collected additional saliva samples before and after they had rinsed their mouths with an antibacterial liquid.
The five fruits selected for study allowed the scientists to test the six distinct families of the anthocyanin pigments. Researchers purified the anthocyanins from each berry type and added the extracts to saliva.
The extent of the pigment degradation in saliva was primarily a function of the chemical structure of a given anthocyanin, said Failla, also an investigator in Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center and Food Innovation Center.
Researchers looked at how the anthocyanins from the fruits degraded when exposed to human saliva
Two families of anthocyanins consistently degraded when exposed to saliva: delphinidin and petunidin. Four other families were more stable: cyanidin, pelargonidin, peonidin and malvidin. "Our observations suggest that the bacteria within one's oral cavity are a primary mediator of pigment metabolism. The bacteria are converting compounds that are present in the foods into metabolites," Failla said in the news release.
"One area of great interest is whether the health-promoting benefits associated with eating anthocyanin-rich fruits like berries are provided by the pigment itself, the natural combinations of the pigments in the fruit, or the metabolites produced by bacteria in the mouth and other regions of the gastrointestinal tract." There is context for this study that further complicates the understanding of anthocyanins' benefits. Multiple studies have led to the conclusion that anthocyanins themselves are very poorly absorbed by the body.
Scientists wanted to find out which mixtures of anthocyanins from fruits are most stable in the human mouth
"If anthocyanins are the actual health-promoting compound, you would want to design food products, confectionaries and gels containing mixtures of anthocyanins that are stable in the mouth. If, on the other hand, the metabolites produced by the metabolism of anthocyanins are the actual health-promoting compounds, there will be greater interest in fruits that contain anthocyanins that are less stable in the oral cavity," Failla said in the news release. "We lack such insights at this time."
The extent to which the anthocyanins were degraded varied among the 14 people whose saliva was used in the study. However, two families of anthocyanins consistently degraded the most in all volunteers. Failla said the observed variation among individuals is likely related to differences in the microbial community that resides in each person's mouth.
Researchers study which bacteria are most involved in metabolizing the anthocyanins in the fruits (berry juices) and how stable are the pigments
This research group is continuing the work, examining which bacteria are most involved in the metabolism of anthocyanins and testing the stability of the pigments in berry juices in the mouths of human volunteers rather than in test tubes containing their saliva. This work was supported in part by the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.
Co-authors include Kom Kamonpatana of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Nutrition; Monica Giusti and Ken Riedl of the Department of Food Science and Technology; Chureeporn Chitchumroonchokchai of the Department of Human Nutrition; and Maria MorenoCruz and Purnima Kumar of the Department of Periodontology, all at Ohio State. All but MorenoCruz are also investigators in the Food Innovation Center.
How healthy are goji berries (sometimes called wolfberries)? They're called one of the most nutritient-rich fruit in the world
Scientists wanted to find out whether goji berries have the same nutrients as other fruits and vegetables or whether gogi berries have a placebo effect, according to the December 16, 2010 news release, "Goji berries have the same nutrients as fruits and vegetables and a placebo effect." Goji berries, sometimes called wolfberries, are nutritionally-rich, containing 18 kinds of amino acids (six times higher than bee pollen). Goji berries also have eight essential amino acids (such as isoleucine and tryptophan).
As far as trace minerals, according to the Raw Food World Store site article, goji berries contain up to 21 of them, including zinc, iron, copper, calcium, germanium, selenium, and phosphorus. Researchers study the polysaccharides in Goji berries to find out which polysaccharides best fortify the immune system. For example, one polysaccharide found in goji berries is a powerful secretagogue, which is a substance that stimulates the secretion of human growth hormone by the pituitary gland.
Can too many goji berries thin your blood too much?
Goji's Latin name is Lycium Barbarum, from the Solonaceae family. If nightshade vegetables such as tomato or potato worsen arthritis for you, how can you find out whether Goji juice comes from the same nightshade family? Or how can you tell whether wolfberries or their juices will thin your blood too much or interact with the warfarin you're taking or other blood thinners? Don't eat too many goji berries, or it could thin your blood too much.
Can eating too many wolfberries or goji berries cause a possible warfarin overdose? Where can you research the effects of atropine concentrations in goji berries or wolf berries? See the site, HPLC-MS trace analysis of atropine in Lycium barbarum berries.
Are you worried that eating too many goji berries or wolf berries might cause a warfarin overdose? See the study or its abstract, "Warfarin overdose due to the possible effects of Lycium barbarum L." Or check out the article, "Possible interaction between warfarin and Lycium barbarum L. - NCBI."
According to Wikipedia, "Wolfberry - commercially called goji berry - is the common name for the fruit of two very closely related species: Lycium barbarum (Chinese: pinyin: Níngxià guq) and L. chinense (Chinese: pinyin: guq), two species of boxthorn in the family Solanaceae (which also includes the potato, tomato, eggplant, deadly nightshade, chili pepper, and tobacco)." Goji berries are native to southeastern Europe and Asia. Also see Google Books.
Caution: Certain juices may cause adverse reactions in people with osteoarthritis. Avoid citrus fruits, and be careful with vegetables from the nightshade family, including potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Citrus seems to promote swelling, and nightshades contain psyllium alkaloids, which cause problems for some people. See Lycium Barbarum.
According to the Wikipedia site on Goji berries, "Two published case reports described elderly women who experienced increased bleeding, expressed as an elevated INR, after drinking quantities of wolfberry tea." Check out the studies on this information, "Responses on goji berries reviewed, UK Food Standards Agency, June 2007," "Nutrition and health claims, European Food Safety Authority, May 2007," and "Goji berries, UK Food Standards Agency, June 2007."
Researchers found that further in vitro testing revealed that woflberry tea inhibited warfarin metabolism, providing evidence for possible interaction between warfarin and undefined wolfberry phytochemicals, According to some of these studies. Also, in one of those studies, researchers found that Atropine, a toxic alkaloid found in other members of the Solanaceae family, occurs naturally in wolfberry fruit. The atropine concentrations of berries from China and Thailand are variable, with a maximum content of 19 ppb, below the likely toxic amount, according to the site, "Goji berries, UK Food Standards Agency, June 2007."
Eating berries may lower risk of Parkinson's disease
Recent research shows men and women who regularly eat berries may have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease, while men may also further lower their risk by regularly eating apples, oranges and other sources rich in dietary components called flavonoids. The study first had been released February 13, 2011 and was presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu April 9 to April 16, 2011. Flavonoids are found in plants and fruits and are also known collectively as vitamin P and citrin. They can also be found in berry fruits, chocolate, and citrus fruits such as grapefruit.
The study involved 49,281 men and 80,336 women. Researchers gave participants questionnaires and used a database to calculate intake amount of flavonoids. They then analyzed the association between flavonoid intakes and risk of developing Parkinson's disease. They also analyzed consumption of five major sources of foods rich in flavonoids: tea, berries, apples, red wine and oranges or orange juice. The participants were followed for 20 to 22 years.
Consuming flavonoids lowered the risk of developing Parkinson's disease
During that time, 805 people developed Parkinson's disease. In men, the top 20 percent who consumed the most flavonoids were about 40 percent less likely to develop Parkinson's disease than the bottom 20 percent of male participants who consumed the least amount of flavonoids.
In women, there was no relationship between overall flavonoid consumption and developing Parkinson's disease. However, when sub-classes of flavonoids were examined, regular consumption of anthocyanins, which are mainly obtained from berries, were found to be associated with a lower risk of Parkinson's disease in both men and women.
"This is the first study in humans to examine the association between flavonoids and risk of developing Parkinson's disease," said study author Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, with the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, according to the February 13, 2011 news release, Eating berries may lower risk of Parkinson's.
"Our findings suggest that flavonoids, specifically a group called anthocyanins, may have neuroprotective effects. If confirmed, flavonoids may be a natural and healthy way to reduce your risk of developing Parkinson's disease." The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health. Also see the news release, "Goji berries have the same nutrients as fruits and vegetables and a placebo effect."
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