Have you treated yourself to a big bowl of fresh, organic blueberries today? What you may at times regard as a luxury is in fact a strong health ally. Blueberries are not only delicious, they may actually extend your lifespan. For starters, antioxidant-dense blueberries may lower the risk of age-related neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. In a study reviewing how nutrition might reduce brain-aging inflammation and oxidative stress, blueberries were singled out as being especially effective. In fact, "blueberry intervention" appears to exert powerful protection against many neurodegenerative diseases.[1]
Blueberries also appear to be one of the top cancer-fighting fruits. The anticancer potential of berries may be due in part to a range of antioxidant phytochemicals called polyphenols, which include flavonoids and proanthocyanidins. It seems that these plant chemicals help counteract, reduce, and repair damage resulting from oxidative stress and inflammation. In addition, blueberries help regulate cancer enzymes and growth factors, and can influence cancer pathways, discouraging cancer cell and tumor growth.[2]
If all that were not enough, did you know blueberries also promote a healthy heart? This can largely be attributed to their anthocyanins: water-soluble, brightly colored flavonoids. In recent years several studies have shown that anthocyanins display a wide range of biological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-carcinogenic activities. In addition anthocyanins display a variety of effects on blood vessels, platelets and lipoproteins which reduce the risk of coronary heart diseases.[3] So, now when you dig into that bowl of fresh blueberries, you can marvel that something that tastes so luscious can also promote a longer, healthier life.
1 Subcell Biochem. 2007;42:299-318
2 J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Feb 13;56(3):630-5. Epub 2008 Jan 23.
3 Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2007;43(4):369-74
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