Could Blueberries Help Lift Winter Blues? Harvard Researchers Say They Might

As the colder, darker months approach, many people face the added risk of seasonal affective disorder. While changes to your routine, mindset, and living space can help keep the short days and gray skies from dragging you down, scientists now have another simple suggestion: eat more blueberries.

A surprisingly simple study

The idea comes from a small study led by researchers at Harvard Medical School and published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging. The trial looked at whether a straightforward dietary change could improve mood and help reduce depressive symptoms. In the study, 18 adults over age 65 with mild depression were asked to eat blueberries every day.

Half of the participants received their blueberries as a freeze-dried powder, while the other half were given a placebo powder that was presumably blue. Researchers tracked both their mental health and several physical health measures.

By the end of the study, both groups reported feeling somewhat better. However, the group that consumed real blueberries experienced a larger drop in depressive symptoms. That group also showed changes in the amount and makeup of their gut bacteria, something scientists have previously associated with better mood and cognitive performance.

Blueberries and mood

The study was a small pilot project and found only modest effects, so the researchers caution that more work is needed before drawing firm conclusions. As they wrote, their findings are preliminary and call for further research into the relationship between blueberries, the gut microbiome, and mood in older adults.

Still, the result is hard to ignore. Blueberries are easy to eat, taste good, and can be added to cereal or pancake batter with little effort. At the very least, increasing your berry intake is unlikely to do any harm.