#7 The bountiful benefits of berries
Data from two randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover human-intervention trials presented ‘compelling data’ on the heart health benefits of blueberry extracts.
“Our data suggest that the consumption of blueberry at dietary intakes (100–240 g; equivalent to 319, 639, and 766 mg total polyphenols) may have public health relevance in maintaining circulatory function,” wrote scientists from the University of Reading (UK), the University Düsseldorf (Germany), and the University of Northumbria (UK) in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Commenting independently on the results, Amy Howell, PhD, associate research scientist at the Marucci Center for Blueberry Cranberry Research at Rutgers University, told us that the new study provides “compelling data suggesting positive effects of blueberry on endothelial function over the first 6 hours following consumption.
“It is important to note that the bioactive dosages of 100-240 g of blueberries are very achievable for daily consumption by consumers. Although studies on the long-term effects of blueberry consumption on [flow-mediated dilation] are needed, this latest study provides additional evidence for the positive effects of blueberries on maintenance of heart health.”