Just about everyone loves to eat berries.  And why wouldn’t they?  They’re delicious!  But a recent study has found that berries may do more than just tickle our taste buds.

Elizabeth Devore, an instructor in medicine at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, lead a study which found that women who had the highest level of berry intake delayed cognitive aging by up to 2.5 years.  Devore attributes this boost in memory strength to the flavonoids found in the berries.

Flavonoids are a type of antioxidant found in many foods such as berries, citrus fruits, apples, tea, red wine and onions.  Flavonoids have been found in past research to help reduce the risk of diseases such as cancers, diabetes and even heart disease.  What makes the flavonoids found in berries special for memory is a particular type of flavonoid known as anthocyanidin.  This special flavonoid has the ability to cross from blood into the brain, and typically end up in the section of the brain associated with learning and memory.

If you think your ability to remember things is starting to get a little fuzzy, it may be time to add more berries to your diet.  Those little flavonoids can work wonders!