Good news again for the heart

We have already written some articles about blueberries. Here’s one more! Because there’s so much good in the little power berries, we just can’t keep that from you. Researchers from the East Anglia University in the UK – together with British colleagues and colleagues from Harvard University in Boston – have found that the consumption of blueberries reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by 15 percent. That means for us non-physicians: those who eat a lot of blueberries, at least 150 grams daily, reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

The physicians found this in 138 persons with a metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, obesity, poor blood lipid values and high blood sugar) aged between 50 and 75 years.

They gave one group 150 grams of freeze-dried blueberries daily for 6 months, the other group placebo berries. And behold: in the group with the real blueberries, the vascular function and the hardening of the arteries improved.

The results of a study by the team led by nutritionist Qi Sun from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston are at least as pleasing. The scientists investigated whether and which fruit has a protective effect against type 2 diabetes. And which fruits came off best? That’s right, blueberries! Three servings a week reduced the risk by 26 percent. In second place were grapes and raisins with a reduction of 12 percent. The consumption of apples and pears was associated with a 7 percent lower risk of diabetes. And bananas and grapefruit each reduced the risk of diabetes by 5 percent. So after all the good news, we’ve now worked up a real appetite and need something to eat: Blueberries!

Sources: University of East Anglia; Medical Journal