Fruit Made Healthier by Alcohol

We already are well aware of the fact the fruit has tons of health benefits for the human body. Now there is a way to make a piece of fruit even healthier says a new study just release today.

The US Department of Agriculture Research Service and Thailand's Kasetsart University jointly carried out the research for the recent study. The study was lead by Dr. Korokot Chanjirakul. The results are sure to put a smile on the faces of many, particularly with the warm summer weather around the corner. According to the study added alcohol to fruit increased the fruits already excellent antioxidant elements, making it even healthier.

The findings actually were the discovered when researchers were trying to come up with ways to keep fruit fresh while it was being stored. During this time scientists found that if they added alcohol to strawberries it increased the fruits antioxidant properties. This in turn made the fruits ability to get rid of dangerous free radicals much stronger. Free radicals are known to cause serious damage to our body's cells. It is thought that damage caused by free radicals can lead to a number of kinds of cancer and other health problems. It is also thought that free radicals are one of the biggest causes of ageing.

Strawberries were not the only fruit that could be given superior antioxidant power by the addition of alcohol. Blackberries were found to have the same results after the addition of alcohol.

However, the results of this study don't mean you should start downing those daiquiris. The affects on your health from alcohol consumption may wipe out any benefits provided by the alcohol treated strawberries.

The British Dietetic Association's, Dr Frankie Philips, supports this. Dr Philips said, "Whilst this study suggests that consuming strawberries with alcohol increases the antioxidant capacity, there are clearly detrimental effects of consuming alcohol in terms of cell damage. So any potential antioxidant benefits may be cancelled out by the potential liver damage caused by too much alcohol. Our advice is to enjoy summer berries but don't expect a panacea in the form of a strawberry daiquiri."

So the best advice would be to put that daiquiri glass away and make sure to eat plenty of non-alcoholic fruit including strawberries and blackberries. To help your body stay healthy it is best to consume the daily-recommended portions of fruit and vegetables and stay away from harmful foods and beverages such as alcohol, salt, and saturated fats.

Sources
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6569657.stm
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/20/strawberry_daiquiris/
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/medicine/la-na-cocktails20apr20,1,7957765.story?coll=la-health-medicine