Anthocyanin comes from the Greek anthos, meaning “flower,” and kyanos, meaning “blue.”6927 The same pigments color red, blue, and purple berries, but their names still hint at their floral origins—for example, the petunidin in blueberries or the peonidin in cranberries.6928 Able to cross the blood-brain barrier, anthocyanins are thought to be responsible for the cognitive benefits of berries in terms of improving brain perfusion, memory, executive function, processing speed, attention, and overall cognitive performance.6929 They may also benefit our eyesight.
