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Study Says Spinach, Blueberries Are Brain Food

SAN DIEGO — Studies exploring the effects of specific foods on the brains of animals found that diets rich in spinach and blueberries may help stave off age-related declines in rats' mental abilities.

Rats fed a diet rich in spinach reversed a normal loss of learning that occurs with age, according to a study by researchers at the University of South Florida. The study was presented at the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting in San Diego this week.

Rats fed a normal diet that contained 2 percent freeze-dried spinach learned to associate the sound of a tone with an oncoming puff of air faster than those fed regular rat chow, the study found. The test measured the interval between the sound of the tone and when the rats blinked.

The experiment was designed to test the ability to associate two distinct but related events, a skill that has been shown to decline with age in rodents, rabbits and humans.

Spinach is rich in antioxidants, which scientists say can block the effects of free radicals. Studies suggest the lifelong accumulation of free radicals in the brain is linked to mental declines in old age and is also a probable factor in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

"This is a preclinical finding of significant interest that now needs to be tested in humans," said Dr. Paula Bickford of the University of South Florida, an author of the study.

Blueberries are also rich in antioxidants. A study by researchers at the University of Houston at Clear Lake and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico found that blueberries may help fight age-related declines in rats' memories.

Aging rats that were fed a blueberry-supplemented diet for four months tested as well as younger rats in their abilities to recognize objects after an hour. Aging rats fed a normal diet failed to recognize the objects.

"This complete deficit was fully alleviated by diet," said Dr. David Malin of the University of Houston at Clear Lake.

The brains of the rats in the experiment are being analyzed to determine whether blueberries slowed brain degeneration.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

Answers

Cool! Here is some justification for my spinach and blueberry muffins!

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

Aaaaaaargh! Not really?????? Sweetie and I are alike in that we don't eat vegetables in sweet things, like carrot cake, pumpkin pie, zucchini bread, things like that.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

I am teasing, but I have been known to combine odd combinations of food, especially while camping. I frequently fix eggs then oatmeal in the same frying pan and then combine them in the same bowl while on the road. A friend just shrugs and refers to it as a "typical Aquarian" breakfast. Hey, why dirty anymore dishes than necessary?

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

Wondering if Blueberry wine is still considered to be brain food?

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001