What Helps Brain Function and Memory?

What Helps Brain Function and Memory?

Would you like better memory and focus? Yes! But how exactly can you accomplish that goal? The answer may be in your food. But not just any food. Specific superfoods, like blueberries, have been shown to help support brain and memory health.

How Different Foods Affect the Brain

Certain foods contain plant compounds called polyphenols. These potent polyphenols have been shown to support health on many levels, including the brain.[1] Blueberries are a great source of several polyphenols that have strong antioxidant functions.[2]

A 2022 double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial—the gold standard in research—featured 86 people who were followed for six months and found that drinking a blueberry powder helped support brain function compared to those who drank the fake placebo powder.[3]

Spirulina extract is also known for its vibrant natural blue color, and like blueberries, this extract also helps support brain health. The research on spirulina’s health-supporting benefits is so strong that in 1996 the World Health Organization declared that spirulina is the best food for the future because of its high content of proteins and natural vitamins.[4] It is also very high in active polyphenols that can help support health in many ways.

Another colorful berry that is considered a sought-after superfood is maqui berry. This dark-purple fruit grows wild in South America and has been used to support health for thousands of years. Often called the Chilean blackberry, maqui extracts are high in a specific polyphenol known as anthocyanins which have been shown to support the immune system and the brain.[5]

Acacia is another source of health-supporting bioactive compounds that act as antioxidants to not only support the brain but also the heart and immune system.[6]

Supplements for Brain Health and Focus

Sometimes it can be difficult to get all these powerful compounds from food alone and that’s when a dietary supplement can help. For better brain health support, consider adding a superfruit blue powder to your daily routine. Be sure the powdered extract you choose contains blueberries, spirulina, maqui berry, and acacia. 

To further enhance this powerful combination of colorful superfoods, consider a product that also contains ashwagandha, an ultra-potent extract that supports mental clarity, mood, restful sleep, and a robust immune system. A 2021 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that ashwagandha was able to support better memory and focus compared to the fake pill.[7] KSM-66 Ashwagandha® is one of the most widely studied forms of this important herb for brain health and mood support.[8]

How do you support better focus and memory? By getting your daily blues! Daily Blues is a mind and mood superfood powder made with highly beneficial organic nutrients. It features spirulina, blueberry and maqui powder plus the highly beneficial KSM-66 Ashwagandha®. Just one scoop of Daily Blues helps support mental energy, occasional stress, digestion and sleep all in a delicious blueberry flavor.*

Follow @zhou_nutrition for more fitness and wellness tips!


*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases.

References

1. Ammar A, Trabelsi K, Boukhris O, et al. Effects of Polyphenol-Rich Interventions on Cognition and Brain Health in Healthy Young and Middle-Aged Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med. 2020;9(5):1598. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7290428/?report=reader

2. Gibson L, Rupasinghe HP, Forney CF, Eaton L. Characterization of Changes in Polyphenols, Antioxidant Capacity and Physico-Chemical Parameters during Lowbush Blueberry Fruit Ripening. Antioxidants (Basel). 2013;2(4):216-229. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4665526/?report=reader

3. Cheatham CL, Canipe LG, Millsap G, et al. Six-month intervention with wild blueberries improved speed processing in mind cognitive decline: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Nutritional Neuroscience. 2023;26(10). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1028415X.2022.2117475

4. Trotta T, Porro C, Cianciulli A, Panaro MA. Beneficial Effects of Spirulina Consumption on Brain Health. Nutrients. 2022;14(3):676. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8839264/?report=reader

5. Khoo HE, Azlan A, Tang ST, Lim SM. Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits. Food Nutr Res. 2017;61(1):1361779. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5613902/?report=reader#!po=87.5000

6. Batiha GE, Akhtar N, Alsayegh AA, et al. Bioactive Compounds, Pharmacological Actions, and Pharmacokinetics of Genus Acacia. Molecules. 2022;27(21):7340. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9658407/?report=reader

7. Gopukumar K, Thanawala S, Somepalli V, Rao TSS, Thamatam VB, Chauhan S. Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha Root Extract on Cognitive Functions in Healthy, Stressed Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021;2021:8254344. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8632422/?report=reader

8. Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian J Psychol Med. 2012;34(3):255-262. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/?report=reader

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