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The Impact of Berry Dye on the Brain

Fruits such as blueberries contain compounds known as anthocyanins, which are responsible for their color. These substances also appear to have positive effects on human health.
Fruits such as blueberries contain compounds known as anthocyanins, which are responsible for their color. These substances also appear to have positive effects on human health. Photo: Getty Images, Wolf Lux; Collage: FITBOOK
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February 3, 2026, 10:07 am | Read time: 2 minutes

Certain plant compounds from berries and other fruits may affect cognitive and memory performance. A scientific review has now examined so-called anthocyanins, which give berries, grapes, or cherries their typical colors.

What Was Examined in the Study?

The researchers analyzed 59 randomized controlled trials for their meta-analysis published in the journal “GeroScience,” which lasted from a few weeks to twelve months.1 In these studies, adults received either anthocyanin-rich foods, corresponding extracts, or a placebo. Both healthy adults and individuals with mild memory or cognitive impairments were examined.

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The Results

In the overall analysis, participants with anthocyanin interventions achieved slightly better results on average in standardized cognitive tests than the respective control groups. Specifically, the following effects were observed:

  • General cognitive performance was slightly higher on average.
  • Episodic memory, the ability to recall experiences and facts, performed somewhat better.
  • Working memory, which stores and processes information short-term, showed small advantages.
  • Attention and visuospatial thinking were slightly improved on average.
  • Thinking and reaction speed were also slightly higher.

However, the authors emphasize that some effects, particularly in attention and working memory, lose their statistical significance when potential biases in the study data are considered. Therefore, the results describe average differences across many studies and do not guarantee an effect for every individual.

What Does the Study Mean?

Overall, the analysis suggests that anthocyanins can slightly support certain cognitive functions in adults, especially with regular intake over several months. Higher dosages did not lead to stronger effects.

Anthocyanin-rich foods proved to be at least as effective as capsules or extracts. In some areas, they even performed better. At the same time, the study makes it clear that neither a curative effect nor a confirmed protection against dementia is proven. However, the results indicate that a diet regularly rich in anthocyanins can make a small, measurable contribution to certain cognitive functions, embedded in an overall healthy lifestyle.

Found an error? Please send feedback to: highway2health@fitbook.de.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of FITBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@fitbook.de.

Sources

  1. Micek, A., Godos, J., Giampieri, F., Battino, M., Quiles, J. L., Del Rio, D., Mena, P., Caruso, G., Frias-Toral, E., Azpíroz, I. D., Xiao, J., Veronese, N., Siervo, M., Vauzour, D., Ungvari, Z., Galvano, F., Grosso, G., & International Network for Evidence on Phytochemicals, Biotics for Human Health (2025). The effect of anthocyanins and anthocyanin-rich foods on cognitive function: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. GeroScience, 10.1007/s11357-025-02008-7. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-025-02008-7 ↩︎
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