We all know that fruit and veg is good for us. But some new research from the University of Reading, helped by the children of Christ the King school, has revealed there is more to the little blue super fruits we call blueberries than meets the eye. In 2015 and 2016 researchers investigated the effects of blueberry juice on cognition and brain function: they were interested in finding out whether the fruit juice could help children read and help them concentrate.
This was a "double-blind test" which means that some of the children drank the blueberry juice while others drank something prepared to look and taste the same but which was not blueberry juice and did not have a high content of flavonoids. None of the pupils knew if they were drinking blueberry juice or not.
The exciting results of the research were published in February 2017. It seems to show that fruit and vegetables high in flavonoids improve children's mood. Further research will be needed, but this could be a simple way that we might improve health and well-being throughout brain development in childhood and into adulthood.
We are proud to have helped with this important research. For further details of the study see below or click on the link to read more about the findings.
Update, Summer 2017
Taking their research to the next stage, the researchers have invited children from Years 3, 4 and 5 to attend sessions at the University where they will drink blueberry juice with their brains wired to electrodes that can actually map any changes as they are happening. We look forward to seeing the results of this research.