Love that delicious blueberries and strawberries are also good for our hearts!! Read this from the AANP:
AANP (naturopathic.org) – Strawberries, Blueberries Cut Heart Attack Risk In Women – (Wednesday, January 16, 2013) –Researchers have found that eating three or more servings of blueberries and strawberries per week may help women reduce their risk of a heart attack by as much as one-third. (Blueberries and strawberries contain high levels of naturally occurring compounds called dietary flavonoids, also found in grapes and wine, blackberries, eggplant, and other fruits and vegetables.) Although packed with flavonoids, these berries also provide a specific sub-class of flavonoids called anthocyanins, which the study reports may help dilate arteries, counter the buildup of plaque and provide other cardiovascular benefits. This was a massive study, of the type known as a prospective study, in which scientists investigated the diets of 93,600 women aged 25 to 42 every four years for 18 years. Women who ate the most blueberries and strawberries had a 32-percent reduction in their risk of heart attack compared to women who ate the berries once a month or less, Remarkably, this effect was noted even in women who otherwise ate a diet rich in other fruits and vegetables. This research was released January 15, 2013 by the journal Circulation.
