
Blueberries Pack A Preventive Punch Against Diabetes and Heart Disease
In the fight against metabolic syndrome (MetS), type 2 diabetes and heart disease, we mere humans can turn to a mighty superhero for help: wild blueberries.
This is excellent news since approximately 37 percent of people in the U.S. are at risk for MetS, a precursor for health problems such as diabetes and heart trouble.
MetS and Blueberries
Risk factors for MetS include high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure and elevated blood glucose. These risks can be reduced by changes in diet such as eliminating refined foods and hydrogenated fats, and eating more lean proteins, monounsaturated fats and superfoods like wild blueberries.
Blueberries wield the weapon of polyphenols called anthocyanins – plant chemicals that provide a protective array of health benefits, such as lowering our risk for Alzheimer’s disease and some types of cancer. Researchers at the University of Maine confirmed that regular consumption of wild blueberries may prevent or improve MetS associated pathologies, including diabetes and cardiovascular illnesses.
The Blueberry Research
Obese rats with metabolic syndrome – known to closely mimic MetS in humans – were fed the equivalent of two cups of wild blueberries each day for eight weeks. This enhanced the rats' blood pressure and circulation as the balance between constricting and relaxing elements in their blood vessel walls improved.
Said researcher Dr. Klimis-Zaca:
Our recent findings documented that wild blueberries reduce chronic inflammation and improve the abnormal lipid profile and gene expression associated with
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