|Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor|
Anthocyanins are the powerful antioxidants known as polyphenols
that give some fruits and vegetables their red, blue, or purple
color. A recent study suggests that eating anthocyanin-rich
blackcurrants from New Zealand improves alertness and reduces
mental fatigue. New Zealand blackcurrants have notably higher
levels of antioxidants when compared with those from Europe. A
previous study showed that they contain an average of 570 mg of
anthocyanin content and that a variety grown in the countryside
called Ben Ard has more than 700 mg. European blackcurrants have
an average of 250-500 mg. Participants in the study included 35
healthy young adults who were given a 70 minute computerized
test that was purposely designed to cause stress and metnal
fatigue. Participants who took the blackcurrant extract
demonstrated higher accuracy without slowing down, higher levels
of alertness, and less mental-fatigue at the conclusion of the
trial compared to those who too