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Enjoy the Many Health Benefits of Berries…

Berry good berries: The new super food

Has modern nutritional science now identified every food compound that is essential for optimum health? Could we now live off our nutritional supplement pill along with a source of protein and generic carbohydrates?

Obviously, the answer is "no," and that's why all health experts recommend that you eat a diet containing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. These foods contain great mysteries that are still being uncovered. Indeed, it seems that every month some new plant constituent—i.e. a phytochemical—is discovered and characterized that has a remarkable health benefit.

And, of all the fruit and vegetables that you can eat, berries beat them all. Berries, more than any other food, are associated with a remarkably long list of health benefits.

Considering their size, berries contain a giant portion of phytochemicals, in addition to vitamins, minerals and fiber that provide numerous health benefits.

Here are just a few examples of the various types of berries and the health benefits they provide :

  • Dark berries like blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and goji berries all contain powerful antioxidants.
  • Blueberries, bilberries and raspberries contain lutein, which is important for healthy vision.
  • Raspberries are rich in anthocyanins and cancer-fighting phytochemicals such as ellagic, coumaric and ferulic acid.
  • Pomegranate fruit extract (yes, it is considered a berry) has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and has been found to be particularly beneficial in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells23-35, and improving symptoms of coronary heart disease15-21 and periodontitis (gum disease).22
  • Raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, elderberry, blueberry and bilberry extracts have all been found to significantly inhibit H. pylori bacteria, when compared with the controls.1

Blueberries come out on top

In a test that measures the antioxidant potency of a variety of foods—the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) test—blueberries came out on top.2

This tiny, magnificent berry contains a huge serving of antioxidants that have been demonstrated to benefit numerous health conditions, including the prevention of oxidative and inflammatory stress on the lining of blood vessels and red blood cells.34

Berries as Smart Nutrients

In a landmark study in 1999, researchers at Tufts University discovered just how powerful this berry is by feeding old rats the equivalent of one cup of blueberries a day. The results were dramatic. The old rats that were fed the blueberries:

  • learned faster than the young rats
  • were more coordinated
  • showed improved motor skills
  • outperformed the young rats in memory tests

In one test, 6-month-old rats were able to run on a rod an average of 14 seconds, when compared to old rats, which fell off after six seconds. But remarkably, the old rats that were fed a blueberry supplement could stay on the rod for 10 seconds. Although the rats didn't become young again, their skills improved tremendously. When the researchers examined the rats' brains, they found that the brain neurons of the rats that ate the blueberries were able to communicate better.

The study was significant because the researchers discovered blueberry's potential for reversing some age-related impairments in both memory and motor coordination. The researchers concluded that these findings suggest that, in addition to their known beneficial effects on cancer and heart disease, the phytochemicals present in antioxidant-rich foods may be beneficial in reversing the course of neuronal and behavioral aging.5

Since then, hundreds of studies have been done showing that all kinds of berries exert a protective effect against oxidation—a principal cause of cellular damage and death—which ultimately results in illness and disease. Recently, researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University published research showing that nutritional antioxidants, such as the phytochemicals found in blueberries, can reverse age-related declines in brain function, namely the cognitive and motor deficits associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.6

Protects against brain damage

Among blueberry varieties, wild or low bush blueberry contains the highest antioxidant power7, which were shown to protect laboratory animals from brain damage from an induced stroke, after they ate blueberries for six weeks.8

Inhibits growth of cancer cells

In animal studies done at Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois, wild blueberry extracts inhibited an enzyme called ornithine decarboxylase, which is responsible for tumor progression.9

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Editor's Note:

The natural health solutions described in this article are available through many on-line retailers including those listed below. By clicking these links you help support the important alternative health research we provide.

Visit www.amazon.com – a great way to find competitive deals on supplements offered by many different manufacturers.

Visit www.hfn-usa.com – when commitment to quality and freshness is important, this factory direct solution is preferred by many of our readers.

This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult with a physician before embarking on a dietary supplement program.

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