Eating Blueberries Fights Atherosclerosis, Leading Cause of Heart Attack and Stroke

Blueberries are the number one super food with all the health benefits they supply and now researchers are adding one more advantage to the list. In a study funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, researchers found that adding blueberries to the diet can prevent plaque or lesions from growing in size in arteries. This helps to prevent atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries, the leading cause of heart attack and stroke.

Study on Blueberries and Atherosclerosis

The researchers used 30 laboratory mice with atherosclerotic lesions and fed half the mice a diet including freeze-dried blueberry powder while the other half did not have blueberry powder. After 20 weeks, the researchers measured the size of the lesions in two areas of the aorta on the mice that ate blueberry powder and found them to be 39 percent and 58 percent smaller than those of the mice who didn't eat blueberry powder. The amount of blueberries the researchers gave the mice on a daily basis is comparable to ½ cup of fresh blueberries. In future studies, the lead author, Xianli Wu, and his research group hope to determine if eating blueberries from childhood can help prevent atherosclerosis later in life.

Blueberries as Health Food

There have been multiple studies throughout the years on the health benefits of blueberries for all types of diseases, including heart disease. In 2009 it was determined that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of blueberries can protect the heart muscle from damage. A 2008 study found that adding blueberries to the diet helped reduce plasma cholesterol levels. Other studies have found eating blueberries protects the brain against damage from stroke and lowers blood pressure. Blueberries have also been studied as a preventative for cancer, inflammation, urinary tract health, vision health and as an anti-aging food.

Adding Blueberries to Your Diet

Blueberries are easy to add to the diet because they can be eaten fresh, added to foods or blended up in smoothies or juice mixtures. Bake a blueberry pie, make blueberry muffins or top your favorite ice-cream treat with fresh blueberries.

Blueberries can be eaten all year-round, even in states with long winters. Blueberry Fields of Stillwater, MN offers this advice on freezing blueberries for year-round enjoyment. Do not wash blueberries before freezing - simply roll fresh blueberries on a clean, dry towel and place in freezer baggies or containers and place in freezer. Once thawed, wash berries before using.

For a healthy heart, add blueberries to your diet all year-round.

Sources:

Science Daily "Blueberries Help Fight Artery Hardening, Lab Animal Study Indicates"

Wild Blueberries "Nature's Antioxidant SuperFruit"