How Blueberries Destroy Free Radicals and Help Protect Your Heart and Brain

Blueberries are small delicious fruits filled with vitamin C, calcium, fiber and many other components that help to keep your body in optimal condition. There are approximately 40 varieties of blueberries known and most are found throughout Europe and Asia. Blueberries with a dark purple color are best for consumption since these have the most antioxidants, heating destroys some of the vitamins and so such they should be eaten without cooking.

During your body's basic metabolism, molecules turned free radicals are created during the production of energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). These free radicals are highly reactive and as such destroy healthy tissue using many diseases such as cancer. Blue berries contain anthocyanin which is a pigment responsible for its blue colour and is also an antioxidant that can destroy free radicals. It has been found that half a cup of blueberries contains the same amount of antioxidants as approximately 5 servings of carrots, apples or peas.

These free radicals destroy your arteries, causing them to rupture and leading to aneurysms. The action of the free radicals on your arteries can also cause them to become scarred, the scar tissue would result in a blockage of the artery causing it to become more narrow and hence more easily clogged and consequently increasing your risk of a heart attack.

Urinary tract infections (UTI's) can be caused by Escherichia coli bacteria and it has been found that the antioxidants in blueberries causes such bacteria to change their structure and die. Blueberries also seem to contain an anti-microbial compound which helps to prevent the growth and proliferation of dangerous microbes. The next time that you have a UTI or a bacterial infection, you can try to eat more blueberries instead of taking expensive medications.

Research at Tufts University has shown in preliminary case that the extract from the blueberry may just be able to improve memory, coordination and speech by lessening the effect that the free radicals have on the brain. The zinc, sodium, copper, phosphorus, selenium and various other compounds found in large quantities in blueberries can both prevent and restore neuronal structure and function and may be important in neuronal disorders in the near future.It has long been suggested that free radicals are partly responsible for the deterioration of brain tissue and these studies seem to have confirmed that theory.

Adding just a few blueberries to your next meal, eating a simple blueberry muffin, throwing the m in your ice cream or just grabbing a handful could help to save your life in the near future by protecting you against dangerous free radicals.

References
1. Blueberries For Health. Retrieved from http://www.blueberry.org/health.htm on June 22^nd 2009

2. Health Benefits Of Blueberries. Retrieved from http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-blueberries.html on June 22^nd 3009