Berries are rapidly being established as “super-star” protectors of your over-all health.

A slew of studies over the last 10 years have documented the multiple health benefits of regular consumption of berries. While the evidence is pointing to the fact that most berries are healthy, the preponderance of studies has been done on blueberries.

blueberry

Are you incorporating blueberries into your diet?

It is well known that berries in general contain high levels of powerful antioxidants that help to prevent both cellular and DNA damage, which are often root causes of disease. Research has shown that freezing berries does NOT reduce their high levels of antioxidants.

 

berry

Berries are a great source of antioxidants

 

The health benefits that berry consumption can provide are:

  • Anti-Cancer benefits
  • Protect against memory and cognitive decline associated with aging
  • Brain protection benefits
  • Eye health protection benefits
  • Skin health protection benefits
  • Heart and blood vessel protection benefits
  • Blood sugar regulation benefits
  • For example, one of the studies on blueberries demonstrated that after 3 months of consumption, older adults (average age of 76) had higher scores on two different tests measuring cognitive function.

Consumption of 1 to 1 ½ cups 3-4 times a week, are sufficient to achieve the benefits listed above. Start your children on this healthy habit as early as possible.

 

Curt Hendrix, M.S., C.C.N., C.N.S.

 

References

  • Adams LS, Phung S, Yee N et al. Blueberry Phytochemicals Inhibit Growth and Metastatic Potential of MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells Through Modulation of the Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Pathway. Cancer Res. 2010 May 1; 70(9): 3594-3605. Published online 2010 April 13. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-09-3565. 2010.
  • Ahmet I, Spangler E, Shukitt-Hale B et al. Blueberry-Enriched Diet Protects Rat Heart from Ischemic Damage. PLoS ONE. 2009; 4(6): e5954. Published online 2009 June 18. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005954. 2009.
  • Basu A, Du M, Leyva MJ et al. Blueberries Decrease Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Obese Men and Women with Metabolic Syndrome. . The Journal of Nutrition. Bethesda: Sep 2010. Vol. 140, Iss. 9; p. 1582-1587. 2010.
  • Basu A, Rhone M and Lyons TJ. . Berries: emerging impact on cardiovascular health. Nutr Rev. 2010 Mar;68(3):168-77. Review. 2010.
  • DeFuria J, Bennett G, Strissel KJ et al. Dietary . Dietary Blueberry Attenuates Whole-Body Insulin Resistance in High Fat-Fed Mice by Reducing Adipocyte Death and Its Inflammatory Sequelae. J Nutr. 2009 August; 139(8): 1510-1516. doi: 10.3945/jn.109.105155. 2009.
  • Grace MH, Ribnicky DM, Kuhn P et al. Hypoglycemic activity of a novel Anthocyanin-rich formulation from Lowbush Blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium. Phytomedicine. 2009 May; 16(5): 406-415. 2009.
  • Hurst RD, Wells RW, Hurst SM et al. Blueberry fruit polyphenolics suppress oxidative stress-induced skeletal muscle cell damage in vitro. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2010 Mar;54(3):353-63. 2010.
  • Jenkins DJA, Ssrichaikul K, Kendall CWC et al. The relation of low glycaemic index fruit consumption to glycaemic control and risk factors for coronary heart disease in type 2 diabetes. Diabetologia. 2011 February; 54(2): 271-279. 2011.
  • Krikorian R, Shidler MD, Nash TA et al. Blueberry Supplementation Improves Memory in Older Adults. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 April 14; 58(7): 3996-4000. 2010.
  • Lohachoompol V, Srzednicki G, and Craske J. The Change of Total Anthocyanins in Blueberries and Their Antioxidant Effect After Drying and Freezing. J Biomed Biotechnol. 2004 December 1; 2004(5): 248-252. 2004.
  • Mannal P, McDonald D and McFadden D. Pterostilbene and tamoxifen show an additive effect against breast cancer in vitro. Am J Surg. 2010 Nov;200(5):577-80. 2010.
  • Mizuno CS and Rimando AM. Blueberries and Metabolic Syndrome. Silpakorn University Science and Technology Journal Year: 2009 Vol: 3 Issue: 2 Pages/record No.: 7-17. 2009.
  • Paul S, DeCastro AJ, Lee HJ et al. Dietary intake of pterostilbene, a constituent of blueberries, inhibits the beta-catenin/p65 downstream signaling pathway and colon carcinogenesis in rats. Carcinogenesis. 2010 Jul;31(7):1272-8. Epub 2010 Jan 8. 2010.
  • Paul S, Rimando AM, Lee HJ et al. Anti-inflammatory action of pterostilbene is mediated through the p38 MAPK pathway in colon cancer cells. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2009 July; 2(7): 650-657. Published online 2009 June 23. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-08-0224. 2009.
  • Sablani SS, Andrews PK, Davies NM et al. Effect of thermal treatments on phytochemicals in conventionally and organically grown berries. J Sci Food Agric. 2010 Apr 15;90(5):769-78. 2010.
  • Scibisz I and Mitek M. The changes of antioxidant properties in highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) during freezing and long-term frozen storage. Acta Scientiarum Polonorum : Technologia Alimentaria Year: 2007 Vol: 6 Issue: 4 Pages/record No.: 75-81. 2007.
  • Simmen FA, Frank JA, Wu X et al. Lack of efficacy of blueberry in nutritional prevention of azoxymethane-initiated cancers of rat small intestine and colon. BMC Gastroenterol. 2009; 9: 67. Published online 2009 September 16. doi: 10.1186/1471-230X-9-67. 2009.
  • Still AJ, Cash KC, Johnson WD et al. Bioactives in Blueberries Improve Insulin Sensitivity in Obese, Insulin-Resistant Men and Women. The Journal of Nutrition. Bethesda: Oct 2010. Vol. 140, Iss. 10; p. 1764-1768. 2010.
  • Stoner GD, Want LS, Seguin C et al. Multiple Berry Types Prevent N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine-Induced Esophageal Cancer in Rats. Pharm Res. 2010 June; 27(6): 1138-1145. 2010.
  • Vuong T, Matar C, Ramassamy C et al. Biotransformed blueberry juice protects neurons from hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway alterations. Br J Nutr. 2010 Sep;104(5):656-63. Epub 2010 May 12. 2010.
  • Wang SY, Chen CT, Sciarappa W et al. Fruit quality, antioxidant capacity, and flavonoid content of organically and conventionally grown blueberries. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Jul 23;56(14):5788-94. Epub 2008 Jul 1. 2008.
  • Wu X, Kang J, Xie C et al. Dietary Blueberries Attenuate Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice by Upregulating Antioxidant Enzyme Expression. J. Nutr. September 1, 2010 vol. 140 no. 9 1628-1632. 2010.

 

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