3 Berry Brain-Healthy Recipes to Try Today!

I still chuckle when I remember my daughter, Chloe, at only 3 years old, calling blueberries “brain berries.” (Her other nickname for them was “God’s candy.”) Thanks to our frequent education at home, Chloe already knew as a toddler which foods were good for her brain and which were bad for her brain. But scientists are continuing to learn even more about what makes these bite-size nutrient powerhouses so special.

How Berries Boost the Brain and Body

There’s a lot to love about berries. Organic strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries make less of an impact on blood sugar and offer more nutritional value than starchy fruits like bananas. Berries also have special brain-health components (just imagine little Pac-Men) that help clean up debris in the brain through a process called autophagy. And they contain soluble fiber, which provides “food” (prebiotics) to the friendly bacteria in your gut, helping improve digestive health and boost immunity.

According to studies cited by Rutgers University, berries offer additional health benefits for the brain, including:

• Better memory: One study noted that eating berries was linked to an increase of blood flow to important regions of the brain. When participants performed different tests and tasks, they demonstrated improvements in memory and attention.
• Slowed aging: Improving brain function may help fight natural aging-related degeneration—perhaps thanks to berries increasing new neurons in the brain. Berries are also believed to help prevent age-related neurodegenerative diseases and improve flexibility in brain pathways involved in nerve cell transmission and other functions.
• Dementia prevention: Some compounds in berries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and counteract advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which have been linked to health issues like Alzheimer’s disease.

Berries’ blend of vitamins, minerals, fiber, flavonoids, phytonutrients, and anthocyanins give them amazing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. That’s why I always recommend “eating the rainbow”—in other words, including plenty of colorful, antioxidant-rich foods like berries in every meal. This practice helps protect your body from oxidative stress. The end result is a body and brain that stays young and healthy.

Just remember one rule when it comes to berries: buy organic when possible. Strawberries, for example, are on the EWG’s “Dirty Dozen” list. That means non-organic options can be laden with pesticides, so choose wisely.

3 Delicious Berry Recipes for Brain Health

If you’re like me, you want to incorporate berries into your meals without a lot of fuss. That’s why I created the below berry recipes, which are instant fan favorites from my books The Omni Diet and The Brain Warrior’s Way Cookbook.

Brain-Smart Start Smoothie Recipe

I love starting my day with a smoothie, so I make this one within an hour of waking up. The recipe makes 2 servings in minutes, and you can add a few more optional ingredients if you like, such as soluble fiber, maca powder, bee pollen, or aloe gel. For larger men, increase the protein powder to 2 scoops.

This smoothie is also an easy way to sneak some extra greens into your day. You can adjust the amount of baby spinach at first until you get used to it, if necessary, but I encourage you to give it a try as-is—you won’t even taste it.

Ingredients:

½ cup frozen organic blueberries

½ cup frozen cherries

⅓ banana

8 ounces pure coconut water or unsweetened almond milk

1 large handful baby spinach (about 1½ cups)

2 chard leaves or 1 small cucumber

2 tablespoons hemp seeds, shelled

1 tablespoon coconut butter

1 tablespoon goji powder

1 scoop vanilla, or berry-flavored, sugar-free pea protein powder (sweetened with stevia)

1 tablespoon freeze-dried greens

1 dropper full berry- or vanilla crème-flavored liquid stevia

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender bowl.
2. Turn the blender on low at first, then increase the speed.
3. Add additional almond milk or coconut water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
4. Pour into 2 large glasses and serve cold.

Fresh Berries with Macadamia-Nut Sauce Recipe

Get the benefits of 3 types of berries in one delicious dessert (or snack) with this delectable recipe, which makes 8 servings. The mix of fresh blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries, drizzled with a creamy sauce, is one of my go-to options when I want to enjoy something sweet.

Even better, unlike processed cookies, cakes, and ice cream, this dessert won’t trigger mindless binge eating. In fact, it helps boost your well-being, thanks to the healthy fats and nutrients found in ingredients like macadamia nuts and coconut.

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1 cup fresh raspberries

½ cup macadamia nuts

2 tablespoons coconut flakes

½ cup light coconut milk

10 drops vanilla crème-flavored liquid stevia

1 tablespoon raw honey (optional)

¼ cup unsweetened almond milk, for thinning if necessary

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, gently toss the blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries.
2. In a high-powered blender bowl, add the macadamia nuts, coconut flakes, coconut milk, stevia, and honey, if using. Blend until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add 2-4 more tablespoons unsweetened almond milk until it reaches the desired consistency.
3. Transfer the berries to serving bowls and drizzle with the nut sauce.

Brainberry Muffin Recipe

You can easily tweak these muffins to fit different seasons—for example, just swap the blueberries for cranberries, and you’ll have a delicious winter-holiday treat.

As far as the sweeteners used, keep in mind that baking often requires a small amount of either maple syrup or raw honey to help create the optimal consistency. Replacing it completely with stevia is possible, but you won’t achieve the same moisture content and flavor. Through trial and error, I’ve learned to combine both types of ingredients for the best results.

Even with maple syrup, each of the 12 muffins in this recipe contains only 1.1 grams of sugar—compared to the 30 grams in an average blueberry muffin. Fortunately, most of the sugar in these delicious (and brain-healthy) muffins comes from the blueberries.

Ingredients: 

⅔ cup coconut flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

8 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons maple syrup

½ tablespoon stevia

½ cup coconut milk

½ cup coconut butter, softened

1 cup blueberries

Crumble Topping (optional)

¼ cup almond meal

½ cup slivered almonds

1 tablespoon maple syrup

stevia to taste

2 tablespoons coconut butter, softened

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 12-muffin tin pan, lining each muffin cup with muffin papers, or spray with coconut oil nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, stevia, coconut milk, and coconut butter.
3. Whisk together the liquid ingredients in the center and then whisk in the dry ingredients. Keep whisking for 1-2 minutes or use a handheld electric mixer.
4. Fold in the blueberries and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. The batter will thicken as the coconut flour absorbs the liquid.
5. Combine all ingredients for the topping, if desired, and set aside.
6. Using a spoon, evenly distribute the muffin batter between the tin’s 12 muffin cups. Then sprinkle the topping evenly on each of the muffins.
7. Bake for 35 minutes and serve warm.

Add Berries, Feel Better

I listed a lot of the great advantages of berries above, but let’s not forget 2 more of their most appealing attributes: They’re delicious and easy to add to a lot of meals. Toss them on top of a salad, main dish, dessert, or smoothie for some extra nutrients with minimal effort. You might be surprised at how many meals, both sweet and savory, will benefit from their juicy taste and texture.

Enjoy and prosper!

Meet the Author

Tana Amen, BSN, RN, Writer

Tana Amen, BSN, RN is a New York Times bestselling-author, health and fitness expert, Vice-President of Amen Clinics—the world’s leader in brain health, mentor, motivational speaker, and former neurosurgical ICU trauma nurse. By providing science-based guidance along with her authentic, no-holds-barred approach, Tana has won the hearts of millions with her simple, yet effective, strategies to help people win the fight for a strong mind, body, and spirit.