{"id":58606,"date":"2019-02-22T00:28:07","date_gmt":"2019-02-22T00:28:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thefastfashion.com\/?p=58606"},"modified":"2019-04-27T01:15:53","modified_gmt":"2019-04-27T01:15:53","slug":"eating-blueberries-reduce-heart-disease-risk-20-percent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thefastfashion.com\/?p=58606","title":{"rendered":"Eating blueberries could reduce heart disease risk by 20 percent"},"content":{"rendered":"

The \u201cblue\u201d in blueberries could reduce the risk of heart disease by 20 percent, according to a new study.<\/p>\n

Researchers found consuming 7.5 ounces of blueberries a day for a month improved blood vessel function and lowered blood pressure in healthy people.<\/p>\n

And the study suggests that the \u201csuper\u201d berries could be just as effective as blood pressure pills prescribed from the doctor.<\/p>\n

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And it\u2019s all because of a magical chemical that gives the berry its famous blue coloring, called anthocyanin. The study was published in the Journal of Gerontology Series A.<\/p>\n

High blood pressure is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases and if ignored could lead to heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease.<\/p>\n

Researchers at Kings College London analyzed the effects of drinking blueberry juice<\/a><\/strong> every day for one month \u2014 and the results could be life-saving.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough it is best to eat the whole blueberry to get the full benefit, our study finds that the majority of the effects can be explained by anthocyanins,\u201d lead researcher Ana Rodriguez-Mateos said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the changes we saw in blood vessel function after eating blueberries every day could be sustained for a person\u2019s whole life, it could reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease by up to 20 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

The lecturer in nutritional sciences explained: \u201cBlueberries are rich in polyphenols, in particular, anthocyanins, but also contain other phenolic compounds in smaller amounts such as procyanidins, flavonols and phenolic acids, as well as being a rich source of fiber, vitamins and minerals.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlueberries have initially been investigated due to their potential beneficial effects on age-dependent decline in cognitive function but were recently shown to improve cardiovascular function.<\/p>\n

\u201cData from the Nurse\u2019s Heath Study II demonstrated that a high intake of blueberries and strawberries and the high intake of anthocyanins associated with it (as calculated based on food frequency questionnaires) was inversely associated with the risk of myocardial infarction.\u201d<\/p>\n

So the study involving 40 participants were either given a drink containing 7.8 ounces of blueberries to drink every day or a placebo.<\/p>\n

The blood pressure, urine and blood of all of the volunteers was tested, as well as their flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which measures how much the artery widens when blood flow increases.<\/p>\n

Researchers compared the results of the blueberry and placebo drinkers and discovered that purified anthocyanins \u2014 the phytochemical that gives fruit and vegetables a blue, red, pink or purple color \u2014 had a dramatic impact on blood pressure levels.<\/p>\n

Adv<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n