They come in rich, luscious colors – red, blue and purple – and they taste delicious too. Now there’s a new reason to love berries and add more of these luscious vitamin and antioxidant-rich orbs to your diet. A new study published in the journal Circulation shows that eating a berry-rich diet may lower your risk for the most common cause of death worldwide – heart disease.
Berries and Their Impact on Heart Health
This latest study is part of the Nurses’ Health Study 2 and involves more than 93,000 women. It showed that women who ate a berry-rich diet over an 18-year follow-up period were almost a third less likely to experience a heart attack. Sound like a good reason to stock up on berries/
Why berries? Berries are a rich source of antioxidants called anthocyanins. It’s anthocyanins that give berries their rich purple and dark red colors. Not only do anthocyanins protect cells from free-radical damage, but they also help to reduce inflammation. Inflammation in blood vessels sets the stage for heart disease and heart attacks. When you enjoy a bowl of berries instead of a doughnut, you’re doing your blood vessels a favor in more ways than one. A diet rich in berries has also been linked with lower blood pressure and lower LDL-cholesterol levels, a good thing when it comes to heart disease risk.
Not Necessarily Cause and Effect
While it’s good news that berries may reduce heart disease risk, it’s too soon to definitively say berries lower the risk for heart disease. Researchers in this study controlled for other factors that might influence heart disease risk including lipid levels, body weight, activity level, blood pressure, etc., but these were self-reported by the participant, making them less reliable. Still, adding more anthocyanin-rich berries to your diet is a good thing when it comes to your health.
Health Benefits of Berries
The anthocyanins in berries, especially blueberries, appear to be more important for brain health. Blueberry anthocyanins appear to reduce inflammation in the brain and nervous system that can lead to memory changes and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. In one study, rats that ate a diet supplemented with blueberries were protected against degenerative brain changes similar to what humans develop as they age. Can eating more berries prevent those “senior moments?” No one knows for sure but it’s an intriguing thought. In general, what’s good for your heart is also good for your brain – and berries have you covered.
Enjoy a Diet Rich in an Array of Berries
Berries are a good choice even if you’re watching your weight. They’re typically lower in natural sugars than other fruits and low in calories. They’re also a good source of vitamin C, a vitamin that some experts think we need more of. Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin that’s also important for healthy skin and joints. Berries are also high in fiber.
Whether you choose fresh or frozen berries, they’re a satisfying snack that’s naturally sweet. It’s best to avoid dried berries and fruit juice since they’re a more concentrated source of sugar. Stick with whole berries. To maximize their benefits, add them to hot breakfast cereal or stir them into yogurt. Add them to salads and smoothies or puree them and use them as a sauce for just about anything you want to add a touch of natural sweetness.
Expand Your Berry Options
You have a wealth of richly-colored berries to choose from including blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, blackberries and one of the newer berries on the block, acai berries, so you’ll never lack variety. Choose organic berries whenever possible since some berries, especially strawberries, may contain traces of pesticide residues. Wild blueberries are a good option, available frozen in some supermarkets, since wild berries may contain higher levels of antioxidants. Enjoy their health benefits – and their taste.
References:
Medscape.com. “Berry-Rich Diet Credited With One-Third Drop in MI Risk in NHS 2 Cohort”
Science Daily. “Diet of Walnuts, Blueberries Improve Cognition; May Help Maintain Brain Function”
Related Articles By Cathe:
5 Healthy Reasons to Eat Berries
5 Scientifically-Backed Reasons to Eat Berries
Eleven Fascinating Health Benefits of Raspberries
Nine Amazing Health Benefits of Cranberries
