Eating blueberries
every day improves heart health
University of East
Anglia
New findings published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition show that eating 150g of
blueberries daily reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 15 per
cent.
The research team from
UEA’s Department of Nutrition and Preventive Medicine, Norwich Medical School,
say that blueberries and other berries should be included in dietary strategies
to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease – particularly among at risk
groups.
The team set out to
see whether eating blueberries had any effect on Metabolic Syndrome - a
condition, affecting 1/3 of westernised adults, which comprises at least three
of the following risk factors: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess
body fat around the waist, low levels of ‘good cholesterol’ and high levels of
triglycerides.
Lead researcher Prof Aedin Cassidy, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Having Metabolic syndrome significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes and often statins and other medications are prescribed to help control this risk.
“It’s widely
recognised that lifestyle changes, including making simple changes to food
choices, can also help.
“Previous studies have
indicated that people who regularly eat blueberries have a reduced risk of
developing conditions including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
This may be because blueberries are high in naturally occurring compounds
called anthocyanins, which are the flavonoids responsible for the red and blue
colour in fruits.
“We wanted to find out
whether eating blueberries could help people who have already been identified
as being at risk of developing these sort of conditions.”
The team investigated
the effects of eating blueberries daily in 138 overweight and obese people,
aged between 50 and 75, with Metabolic Syndrome. The six-month study was the
longest trial of its
kind.
They looked at the
benefits of eating 150 gram portions (one cup) compared to 75 gram portions
(half a cup). The participants consumed the blueberries in freeze-dried form
and a placebo group was given a purple-coloured alternative made of artificial
colours and flavourings.
Co-lead, Dr Peter
Curtis, also from UEA's Norwich Medical School, said: “We found that eating one
cup of blueberries per day resulted in sustained improvements in vascular
function and arterial stiffness – making enough of a difference to reduce the
risk of cardiovascular disease by between 12 and 15 per cent.
“The simple and attainable
message is to consume one cup of blueberries daily to improve cardiovascular
health.
“Unexpectedly, we
found no benefit of a smaller 75 gram (half cup) daily intake of blueberries in
this at-risk group. It is possible that higher daily intakes may be needed for
heart health benefits in obese, at-risk populations, compared with the general
population.”
The research was led
by the University of East Anglia in collaboration with The Harvard T.H. Chan
School of Public Health, the University of Southampton, the University of
Surrey, and the University of Cambridge. It was funded by the US Highbush
Blueberry Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research
Council (BBSRC).
‘Blueberries improve
biomarkers of cardio metabolic function in participants with metabolic syndrome
– results from a 6-month, double blind, randomized controlled trial’ is published in the American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition.
