I may have an apple-shaped figure but berries are my fruit of choice. I absolutely love berries and it really doesn't matter which kind - strawberries, blackberries, raspberries - I love them all! I do have to admit that my favorite berry is the blueberry.
There is something absolutely decadent about treating myself to a box of blueberries. YUM! Blueberries are one of my guilty little pleasures in life.
Science has caught up with what I’ve known in my heart all along – blueberries are good for you. I’ve read the research about the benefits of blueberries on memory and Alzheimer’s but new research shows that blueberries just may be beneficial for your heart health as well. In addition, blueberry consumption may also reduce that pesky belly fat which is so dangerous to our heart health. Those of us who are post-menopausal know just how difficult it can be to get rid of menopause belly fat and blueberries may offer some help (and hope!).
The University of Michigan Cardioprotection Research Laboratory released the results of a study which examined the effect of blueberries on fat and heart health related issues. This was a non-human study conducted on rats. All of the rats used during the course of the study were specifically bred to develop obesity. The rats were divided into two groups. One group was fed a low-fat diet while the other group was place on a high-fat diet. The rat diet was enriched with either 2% blueberry powder or 2% carbohydrates.
The rats were tested for cholesterol, insulin sensitivity, glucose levels and belly fat after being on the diet for 90 days. Researchers found that rats which were given blueberries as a part of their diet experienced a reduction in their weight and amount of abdominal fat. Specifically, they saw a reduction in the type of abdominal fat that is associated with the development of heart disease and diabetes. In addition, the rats on a blueberry diet exhibited other heart healthy benefits such as a reduction in their cholesterol and blood glucose levels. While rats on the low-fat diet experienced greater benefits, rats on the high-fat diet who received blueberry supplement also experienced a reduction in belly fat and other heart healthy benefits.
Blueberries are filled with antioxidants and researchers believe that the antioxidants are responsible for the heart healthy benefits and belly fat reduction. A separate study conducted by Dorothy Klimis-Zacas at the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Maine found the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in a blueberry enriched diet beneficial to blood pressure and reduction of blood vessel constriction.
I'm glad to see the research. The next time I treat myself to blueberries, I won't look at it as an indulgence - I'll view it as an investment in my heart! Don't you love it when science agrees with you?
Sources:
Jennifer Warner, Blueberries May Banish Belly Fat (Diet Rich in Blueberries May Boost Heart Health), WebMD Health News, 19 Apr 2009, http://www.webmd.com/heart/news/20090419/blueberries-may-banish-belly-fat
Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, New Research Links Wild Blueberries to Cardiovascular Health, 2009, http://www.wildblueberries.com/health_benefits/new-research_2009.php