A large 18-year
study has found that while eating plenty of all fruits and vegetables is good
for heart health, getting three or more servings per week of berries especially
reduces heart attack risk.
The study included
nearly 94,000 young and middle-aged women who took part in the Nurses' Health
Study II. Participants who ate the most blueberries and strawberries were 32%
less likely to have a heart attack, compared to women who ate berries once a
month or less – even among women who otherwise ate a diet rich in other fruits
and vegetables. This benefit was independent of other heart risk factors such
as advancing age, high blood pressure, family history of heart attack, body
mass index, exercise, smoking, and caffeine and alcohol intake.
Blueberries and
strawberries are believed to be especially heart healthy because they contain
high levels of flavonoid phytonutrients called anthocyanins which are believed
to promote healthy blood vessel elasticity and prevent arterial plaque build-up
and the coronary arterial blockages that lead to heart attacks.
What to do: Eat plenty of foods rich in anthocyanins. These are naturally present in dark red- and
blue-colored fruits and vegetables, so, in addition to blueberries and
strawberries, they are also found in high amounts in cherries, cranberries, grapes,
black currants, plums, raspberries, blackberries, beets, and red cabbage. Aim for 3 or more cups of these foods per
week. Even in winter this is not hard to
do. Roasted beets or borsht soup are
great wintertime favorites. Frozen
berries retain most of the nutrients of fresh berries and can be easier to keep
on hand and more economical. Make
berries a part of your daily intake by adding them to smoothies, cereal, oatmeal,
or lowfat yogurt. And, they are also
great as a snack by themselves!
SOURCE: Cassidy A, Mukamal KJ, Liu L, Franz
M, Eliassen M. High anthocyanin intake
is associated with a reduced risk of myocardial infarction in young and
middle-aged women. Jan. 14, 2013, Circulation online. Available at:
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/127/2/188.full
Adapted from articles available at:
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