Evidence suggests that foods rich in antioxidants are beneficial at treating mood disorders. This is the basis for the mental health benefits of high plant diets. Blueberries are very high in flavonoid antioxidants, and it might therefore be expected that they are beneficial at treating mood disorders. In one study, the mood enhancing effects of blueberries was investigated. In the study, adolescent subjects with minor mood problems including anxiety and depression were administered wild blueberries for 4 weeks. The amount of blueberries was designed to provide 253 mg of anthocyanins, the main flavonoid present in blueberries. Following the 4 week trial period, the depressive symptoms of the subjects were significantly reduced in comparison to a control group who received a placebo food. However, the anxiety symptoms were not affected by the treatment. Therefore wild blueberries may have significant beneficial effects on depression in young adults in only a few weeks, suggesting they could be used as a treatment for depression.
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