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Berries: cognition, PTSD, inflammation, microbiome, anxiety and depression

February 2, 2018 By Trudy Scott 11 Comments

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Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, raspberries and strawberries have so many health benefits, including but not limited to improving cognitive function, offering benefits for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), reducing inflammation and even increasing good bacteria in our gut. There are even initial promising results of a compound in blackberries having antibiotic like properties against drug-resistant bacteria MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus).

Blueberries improve cognition

In a 2017 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, dietary blueberries were found to improve cognition among older adults

In this study, 13 men and 24 women, between the ages of 60 and 75 years, were recruited into a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which they consumed either freeze-dried blueberry (24 g/day, equivalent to 1 cup of fresh blueberries) or a blueberry placebo for 90 days.

The findings show that the addition of 1 daily cup of blueberries to the diets of older adults can improve some aspects of cognition, such as

…significantly fewer repetition errors … in the California Verbal Learning Test (CLVT), a neuropsychological test which can be used to assess verbal memory abilities.

… fewer errors on trials when they switched to a new task as part of a task-switching test. Task switching is an important component of executive function, a collection of brain processes that are responsible for guiding thought and behavior.

This research was funded by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

Blueberries boost serotonin and ease PTSD

A study presented in 2016 reports that blueberries boost serotonin and may help with PTSD and anxiety. This was an animal study where the traumatized rats were fed a blueberry-enriched diet. The study authors report an increase in serotonin levels and suggest that these findings

indicate non-pharmacological approaches might modulate neurotransmitters in PTSD.

Presumably this could help if you have anxiety and depression too, since low serotonin is often one of the underlying factors.  

Anti-inflammatory activity of berry fruits

A 2016 study compared the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of extracts of Lycium barbarum (found in goji berries), Vaccinium macrocarpon (found in cranberries) and Vaccinium myrtillus (found in blueberries).

High amounts of phenolic compounds, including rutin, were identified in all berries extracts. Quercetin was identified in blueberries and cranberries. Hepatic/liver concentrations of glutathione were higher in animals treated with goji berry extracts. Overall the study reports that:

These results suggest that quercetin, rutin, or other phenolic compounds found in these berry fruits extracts could produce an anti-inflammatory response based on modulation of oxidative stress.

We know that inflammation plays a role in mood issues so this is yet another mechanism for supporting your body nutritionally.

Wild blueberry powder drink increases bifidobacteria in the human gut

Wild blueberries are a rich source of polyphenols, fiber and other compounds that are metabolized by the intestinal microbiota. A 2011 human study reports that six weeks of consumption of a wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) drink can positively impact the composition of the intestinal microbiome, by increasing levels of Bifidobacterium.

There are numerous studies showing the benefits of bifidobacteria probiotics on mood and anxiety. Here are a few of them:

  • reduced depressive symptoms in IBS patients
  • reduced anxiety (animal study)
  • reduced inflammation, balanced neurotransmitters and a positive impact on the HPA axis (animal study)

Blackberry compound as an antibiotic against MRSA?

This section doesn’t involve eating blackberries but I’m including it because I just love this story, it’s inspiring and it has not received any coverage in the mainstream media. An article in a local publication reports that Irish teen wins top science prize for blackberry antibiotic that fights resistant bacteria

A 15-year-old science student Simon Meehan of Coláiste Choilm won first place in the 54th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition. His discovery is that chemicals found within blackberries could form antibiotics that kills Staphylococcus aureus – often known as MRSA and well known for being resistant to antibiotics.

And he says his grandfather – a herbalist – was the inspiration that kept him going, keeping a frame picture of him at his side whilst he worked.

Professor John O’Halloran, who helped judge the competition, was fulsome in his praise for Simon’s work: “This is a really exciting project which explores the possibility of the blackberry leaf extracts’ ability to control harmful bacteria. The unexpected findings deliver a unique approach to killing bacteria using natural plant active ingredients.

You can watch a video of Simon Meehan sharing more about this investigation and the result here:

Simon Meehan of Coláiste Choilm, Cork investigates the antimicrobial effects of aerial & root parts of selected plants against Staphylococcus aureus.

Here are some ways to enjoy berries in your diet:

  • Fresh berries as a healthy snack
  • Berries like blueberries are quite delicious when eaten frozen too – kids often love them like this
  • In a smoothie for breakfast, together with coconut milk, a banana and some whey, pea or other quality protein powder (great for good blood sugar control/hypoglycemia and reducing anxiety and irritability too)
  • As a dessert with grass-fed organic ice-cream or cream, or coconut milk if dairy is an issue for you
  • Dunked in melted dark organic free-trade chocolate as an occasional treat
  • Freeze-dried or dehydrated berries as a camping or travel snack

Make sure to buy organic berries as non-organic are on the Dirty Dozen list and are highly sprayed with pesticides.

How do you enjoy eating your berries and how often do you eat them?

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Filed Under: Food Tagged With: antibiotic, anxiety, Berries, bifidiobacteria, blackberries, blueberries, cognition, depression, Inflammation, microbiome, PTSD, serotonin, Simon Meehan

About Trudy Scott

Food Mood Expert Trudy Scott is a certified nutritionist on a mission to educate and empower anxious individuals worldwide about natural solutions for anxiety, stress and emotional eating.

Trudy is the author of The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings and host of The Anxiety Summit now in its 4th season and called a “bouquet of hope.”

Trudy is passionate about sharing the powerful food mood connection because she experienced the results first-hand, finding complete resolution of her anxiety and panic attacks.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Susan says

    February 3, 2018 at 1:31 pm

    Where can one find wild blueberry powder?

    Reply
    • Trudy Scott says

      February 3, 2018 at 10:12 pm

      Susan
      Designs for Health has a very nice product called PaleoReds – it has a mixture of berries (including blueberry) and other ingredients and is lovely for adding to a smoothie. If you’d like to purchase from my online store you can find how to set up an account on this page https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/amino-acids-pyroluria-supplements/

      Reply
  2. sandi miller says

    February 4, 2018 at 6:27 am

    Trudy, I adore your site and the invaluable information you provide to us all. Thank you! I eat blueberries almost every morning in a smoothie with home-made raw grass-fed milk kefir, grass-fed collagen peptides and MCT oil. I do all I can to nurture the gut microbiome. Being a non-secretor, I feel I have to take extra special care to feed my bifidos. I’ll be keeping the berries around!

    Reply
    • Trudy Scott says

      February 6, 2018 at 5:43 am

      Sandi
      Yummy! I’m curious about your thoughts on collagen and possible serotonin effects https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/collagen-gelatin-lower-serotonin-increase-anxiety-depression/

      And do share more about being a non-secretor

      Reply
      • sandi miller says

        February 6, 2018 at 8:55 am

        Hi Trudy! Wow! I didn’t know about collagen and its affect on serotonin! I haven’t been experiencing anxiety recently but I *have* been extra revved up and am sleeping an hour or so less per night and was wondering where that was coming from. I’ll have to cut the collagen out and see if I level off again! Thank you for pointing me to that information!

        My non-secretor status I only recently started paying attention to. I had my DNA sequenced a few years ago, but didn’t really dive too deeply into my SNPs. After 3 gut microbiome sequencing tests (2 from uBiome, one from BIOHM Health) all showed zero bifido bacteria in my gut, I finally looked at my DNA and found a SNP in my FUT2 gene which means I don’t secrete blood antigens into my mucous membranes – including the lining of the gut. (More info here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3098274/ ) So, I’ve been consuming home-fermented jun kombucha and water kefir and raw grass-fed milk kefir to get some bifidos in there, and feed them with blueberries and other fibrous foods along with inulin. It seems to be working, based on my last test (with Viome) which showed great levels of B. longum and a foot in the door with B. animalis. I think with more time and work, I’ll be able to increase diversity a bit, as I’ve been able to do with some bacteroides and lactobacillus species.

      • Trudy Scott says

        February 7, 2018 at 10:45 pm

        Sandi
        Would love to hear what you find with the collagen test.

        And thanks for sharing your gut work – fascinating how we can have such a huge impact! I love that you have all the testing and results too!

      • sandi miller says

        March 9, 2018 at 9:51 am

        Hi Trudy! It’s been about a month since I cut out the collagen and sure enough, that overly revved up feeling dissipated in under a week…but then my hips started aching. I originally started collagen for joint pain – and it worked. So, now I’m only using a little bit of collagen a few times per week and I think I’ve found a good balance. I just hope there aren’t any repercussions down the road.

      • Trudy Scott says

        March 10, 2018 at 9:44 pm

        Sandi
        Thanks for sharing – glad you’ve found a balance. Would love you to also post your story/experiment on the collagen blog so it’s all together https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/collagen-gelatin-lower-serotonin-increase-anxiety-depression/ And don’t forget tryptophan may allow some people to take higher amounts of collagen

  3. Laura V says

    February 9, 2018 at 5:18 pm

    Trudy I have your book started using primrose zinc and b vitamins for my teen who always has cramps. Trying for GF next. Thanks for your work.

    I am 56 and I recently found a mold issue in my basement and have been having aches variable moods/brain fog/-joint muscle pain/inflammation for awhile. – working to mitigate the issue. Short of all the shoemaker stuff (expensive) do you recommend any 1st steps to naturally detox. I am not GF or Dairy Free but eat mostly organic Hish quality protein fruits and veggies and take probiotics and probiotics and low sugar.. thanks for your time

    Reply
  4. Janet says

    February 11, 2018 at 7:50 am

    Blueberries are great in pancakes – we make a great buckwheat and oats pancake sweetened with some honey and a little maple syrup and add either fresh or frozen blueberries! Also blueberry muffins are great. We use to pick wild blueberries as kids and my mom would have many pints of berries from us -she’d make pies, muffins, bars, cookies and my favorite…pancakes! Always felt quite good after eating blueberries. Now always looking for the no sugar and gluten free recipes for these kind of treats.

    Reply
    • Trudy Scott says

      February 16, 2018 at 8:37 pm

      Janet
      Love the wild blueberry picking! Its funny … pancakes are such an American thing. Growing up in South Africa we’d have them once every few months as a dessert.

      Hopefully the gluten-free baking is kept at a minimum – often too much sweetener in the form of honey/maple syrup and refined gluten-free flours or nut flours. I also don’t believe we need treats like this – when our brain chemistry is in balance it’s a non-issue 🙂

      Reply

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