I started keeping a bag of blueberries in the freezer after reading one too many studies about them and memory. Whether a glass of juice sharpens your thinking the way some of those trials suggest, I honestly could not tell you. What I can tell you is that it tastes good, it takes ten minutes, and it is a better start to the day than a second coffee.
Why these ingredients work
Blueberries carry anthocyanins, the pigments behind their colour, and they are among the most studied fruits when it comes to memory and thinking in older adults. Green apple does the practical job here: it brings enough sweetness and liquid to make the drink pleasant rather than medicinal, and its pectin is gentle on the stomach. Mint keeps the glass fresh if you find berries on their own a bit cloying, and the lemon stops the whole thing tasting flat. None of it is a cure for anything. It is a decent drink with genuinely useful things in it.
FAQ
Can I make it without a juicer?
Yes. Blend the blueberries, apple, mint and peeled lemon with 100ml of cold water on high for 45 seconds, then strain through a nut milk bag or a fine sieve. You get a slightly cloudier glass, but you keep a little more of the fibre.
Fresh or frozen blueberries?
Frozen are cheaper out of season and work just as well. There is no need to thaw them for the juicer, though for the blender it helps to leave them out for a few minutes first so they break down properly.
How much sugar is in a glass?
About 25g, all of it from the fruit rather than anything added. One glass comes in at roughly 135 calories with 35g of carbohydrate, 2g of fibre, 22mg of vitamin C and 250mg of potassium. It is a better choice than a soft drink, but it is still a sweet drink, so I treat it as one.
More brain recipes: see the full BRAIN collection.
Blueberry, Apple and Mint Juice
Equipment
- 1 Juicer masticating or centrifugal
- 1 High-speed blender for the blender method
- 1 Nut milk bag or fine-mesh sieve to strain the blender version
- 2 Airtight glass bottles for storing
- 1 Budget cold press juicer a great value alternative
- 1 Budget blender if you are just starting out
Ingredients
- 200 g fresh blueberries frozen is fine too, no need to thaw
- 2 green apples cored and quartered
- 10 fresh mint leaves plus a sprig to serve
- 1/2 lemon peeled
Instructions
Juicer method
- Rinse the blueberries and pick out any stalks. Core and quarter the apples, then peel the lemon and cut it in half.
- Feed the apple through the juicer first, then the blueberries, then the mint and lemon. Berries are soft, so sandwiching them between the firmer apple keeps the pulp moving through the chute.
- Stir the juice, then pour it into two glasses over ice. Drink it the same day.
Blender method
- Put the blueberries, apple, mint and peeled lemon in a blender with 100ml cold water.
- Blend on high for 45 seconds until there are no lumps left.
- Pour it through a nut milk bag or a fine sieve into a jug, pressing the pulp with the back of a spoon to get the last of the juice out.
- Serve over ice. If your apples are sharp, a teaspoon of honey takes the edge off.