Blueberries are superstars of the supermarket when it comes to antioxidant potential. Both animal and human research suggests that blueberries may be helpful in preserving memory as we age. Now a small study in mice points to a possible benefit against breast cancer.
Mice were given blueberry extract or placebo every day for a week before they were injected with hard-to-treat breast cancer cells. The dose of the extract would be comparable to what a woman would get if she ate 5 ounces of blueberries a day. After six weeks, the mice that had gotten blueberry extract had tumors that were 70 percent smaller and less likely to migrate. Scientists caution, however, that mouse research does not always translate well into humans.
