Cool Climate Blues
At NutriKiwi it’s our mission to bring you the finest cool climate blues blueberries we can find, planted and picked on the Antarctic Coast, a stone’s throw from Queenstown, our farmers harness the power of cool-climate conditions and nutrient-rich coastal peat soil to create a blueberry like no other.
Cool-Climate Blueberries. Pristine produce like no other.
- Boost children's memory
- Effect on cognitive function in healthy older adults
- Beat the 'baby blues' in new mothers
- Protect DNA
- Help prevent Alzheimer's
- Weight Loss
- Stave off Mental Decline
- Improve Muscle Recovery
- Blueberries and Aging
- Health Research
- Boost Children's Brainpower
- NutriKiwi Blueberry Nutrition Table
New research reveals blueberries potentially “significant” positive effects on the brain of primary school children
New research published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that eating blueberries could give children a significant memory boost.
The randomised control trial recruited 54 children between seven to ten years old, and asked them to drink a 200ml wild blueberry drink or a placebo. The wild blueberry drink contained 253mg anthcyanins, and was the equivalent to about one and a half cups of fresh blueberries (about a punnet).
Researchers then assessed the children’s verbal memory, cognitive function and reasoning efficiency before and two hours after the drink was consumed. The team found children who had drunk the blueberry concoction showed improved reaction times and cognitive function, dubbed executive function (EF).
New research published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that daily consumption of the equivalent of one cup of fresh blueberries, given as 24 g of freeze dried powder, showed positive changes in cognitive function over a placebo.
A new study by researchers in Toronto, Canada, finds that a dietary supplement regimen of the powerful antioxidants blueberry juice and blueberry extract can help ward off the “baby blues”.
The temporary mood swings and sadness experienced by many new mums can sometimes lead to more serious postpartum depression.
Blueberries appear to be an effective way to improve antioxidant status and protect against oxidative injury. Blueberries improve insulin sensitivity in obese, insulin-resistant men and women
More research to document the effects of Blueberries on oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial function can be found here in the Natural Medicine Journal
A “super fruit” famed for its health-giving properties may protect ageing brains and help prevent Alzheimer’s, new research suggests. Blueberries, given in the form of a powder, were found to improve the thinking performance of 47 adults aged 68 and older who already had mild cognitive impairment, a risk factor for Alzheimer’s. A similar effect was not seen when volunteers were treated with a “dummy” placebo powder that was inactive.
Blueberries have special flavonoids that can help you lose weight, say Harvard researchers.
The flavonoid subclass ‘anthocyanins’, largely found in blueberries and strawberries, was linked with the greatest weight loss. An extra daily intake of 10 milligrams of anthocyanins was linked with a 0.1-kilogram loss in weight over a four-year period.
How to live to a ripe old age: Regularly eating strawberries and blueberries can stave off mental decline by more than two years
Click on the following link to see an article on the Daily Mail website,
The consumption of Blueberries, before, during, and after physical training has been found to improve the rate of recovery of muscle performance.
Research conducted by Massey School of Sport and Exercise head Associate Professor Steve Stannard, University colleagues and the New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research has been published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. The research investigated the impacts of blueberries on the recovery of muscles while under intense physical training. Blueberries were shown to improve the rate of muscle recovery during the first 36 hours. This has the potential to enable an increase in training which may lead to an ultimate improvement in performance potential.
This research was based on the consumption of blueberry based smoothies. It is great to see research carried out on a whole food that is readily available, rather than an extract of a food that requires the product to be processed before we can experience the benefits.
US Research has found that feeding blueberries to rats has slowed age related loss in their mental capacity.
Mice that were fed blueberries performed better than the control group in motor behavioural learning and memory. Anthocyanin is the compound thought to be responsible for this brain neuron protection. Anthocyanin is the component that gives blueberries their distinctive colour and may also be the key to blueberries antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Blueberries are widely regarded as a Superfood due to their extremely high levels of Anitoxidants. Recent research has identified a range of health benefits that can be attributed to these little power packed berries.
One cup of blueberries delivers approximately 14% of the recommended daily dose of fiber and nearly a quarter of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Blueberries are also low in calories — fewer than 100 for a full cup.
According to a study presented at the 2009 Experimental Biology conference, a diet rich in blueberries lowers blood cholesterol levels while improving glucose control and insulin sensitivity, lowering the risk of subsequent heart disease and diabetes.
Researchers found that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging animals, making them mentally equivalent to much younger ones.
Here is a selection of international research studies that relate to the Health properties of blueberries.
Children should eat blueberries before taking exams to benefit from a short-term boost to brain function, new research shows.
A study revealed that primary school-age children performed tasks with 10 per cent greater speed and accuracy after taking wild blueberry drinks.
The fruit, which contains flavanoids, has been associated with a range of health benefits including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
New Zealand’s Cultivated Blueberry industry was initially developed from varieties sourced from the USA.
Blueberries are relatively new in New Zealand compared to there. Much of the research is undertaken in the US because of the relative size of the industries.
However we grow many of the same varieties here in New Zealand so you can relate the US research to the Blueberries we grow here.
Here is a link to some interesting information about the health enhancing properties of Blueberries.