Blueberries - A Powerful Source of Natural Antioxidants
Blueberries and antioxidants ...
Belinda Linden from the British Heart Foundation:
"Research has suggested that natural chemicals found in fruit, including blueberries, have potent antioxidant properties which may reduce the harmful type of cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL).
Dr Rimando from the USA Department of Agriculture:
"We are excited to learn that blueberries, which are already known to be rich in healthy compounds, may also be a potent weapon in the battle against obesity and heart disease."
Why
Antioxidants are So Important:
Free Radicals - Antioxidants ...
Antioxidants are thought to help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals.
These free radicals, which can damage cell membranes and DNA through a process known as oxidative stress, are blamed for many of the dysfunctions and diseases associated with aging.
Fresh fruits (blueberries) and vegetables contain many of these naturally occurring antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E. Blueberries contain 0.04 mg of beta-carotene, 13 mg of vitamin C and 1 mg vitamin E per 100 g of blueberries.
Research from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, has discovered that blueberries have one of the highest antioxidant activity of most fruits. Using a test called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), researchers have proved that a serving of fresh blueberries provides more antioxidant activity than many other fresh fruits and vegetables.
"In a USDA Human Nutrition Research Center laboratory, neuroscientists discovered that feeding blueberries to laboratory rats slowed age-related loss in their mental capacity, a finding that has important implications for humans."
A study which appeared in the June 9, 2004 issue of the Journal
of Agricultural
and Food Chemistry, assessed the antioxidant content
of over 100 foods, including fruits, vegetables, cereals, breads,
nuts, and spices.
Each food-type was analyzed for their specific antioxidant content and ranked according to antioxidant capacity per serving size.
The top cultivated fruit for antioxidants was the Blueberry (even higher than cranberries), with one serving (1 cup) with 9019 antioxidant capacity.
Back to Blueberry Information Guide"Ronald Prior, PhD, the head of the USDA Phytochemical Laboratory at Tufts, recommends that people should be adding one-half cup of blueberries to their diet every day!"