If you have ever wondered what you can do to benefit from blueberries, then you’ve come to the right place. Blueberries have many benefits for your health, and this article will discuss several of them. Read on to discover how you can reduce your blood pressure, lower inflammation, and improve your executive function and delayed memory. Also, find out how you can get more blueberries into your diet, and reap the benefits! And don’t forget to try a blueberry smoothie for the best results!
Reduces blood pressure
Researchers have found a surprising result of the benefits of blueberries for the blood pressure. After four weeks of drinking a blueberry-based drink, blood vessels in the study subjects became more flexible and the pressure in the arteries was reduced by five millimetres per cent. This effect was consistent with results from studies of blood pressure-lowering drugs. And the benefits of blueberries for the blood pressure were long-lasting.
A study conducted at King’s College London found that consuming 200 grams of blueberries per day reduced systolic blood pressure and improved blood vessel function in healthy volunteers. Researchers compared the effects of the blueberry drink to a matched alternative drink. They also measured blood pressure and flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery, an indicator of reduced cardiovascular risk. But before we get to the health benefits of blueberries, let’s take a closer look at the possible mechanisms.
Lowers inflammation
Researchers have discovered that a diet rich in blueberries may help to lower the risk of heart disease. Researchers have observed that blueberries contain high levels of phytoflavinoids and antioxidants, and they are also rich in potassium and vitamin C. As an added bonus, they also lower the risk of cancer. This anti-inflammatory property makes blueberries a favorite food among physicians. But why exactly do blueberries work to lower inflammation? How does eating a daily serving of blueberries lower inflammation?
The vibrant purple color of blueberries comes from polyphenolic compounds, plant compounds that act as antioxidants. These compounds prevent free radicals from triggering further inflammation. In addition to reducing inflammation, blueberries may also lower blood pressure, improve blood flow, and protect the brain from damage caused by inflammation. These berries are also great for your health, since they are usually flash-frozen when picked. You can add them to your favorite smoothies to experience the benefits of their rich antioxidant content.
Improves delayed memory
Studies on whether blueberry powder improves delayed memory have shown mixed results. Earlier studies have found that the berry can increase cognition. However, a new study shows that blueberry powder can improve memory. It also shows that the berry’s antidepressant effects may be overstated. But if the berry is effective, how can you tell? This article outlines the benefits and risks associated with this fruit.
The study compared the effects of a supplement containing three hundred and eighty milligrams of blueberry juice with a placebo. The blueberry group showed significantly higher activity in the brain and significantly improved performance on verbal paired associate learning tasks. They also exhibited improved mood and fewer depressive symptoms. Moreover, blueberry extract reduced blood glucose levels, which may be a mechanism behind the neurocognitive benefits of blueberry juice.
Improves executive function
There is no question that blueberries are a healthy food that can help improve cognitive performance, including memory and executive function. However, previous research into the benefits of blueberries has used a limited set of tasks. In this new study, participants ate blueberries for two hours, four hours, and eight hours. After eating blueberries, they performed significantly better on two tests: the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), which measures verbal memory, and the Modified Attention Network Task (MANT), which assesses response interference and distraction. The researchers also found that blueberries improved the performance of the executive function tasks such as visuo-spatial grid and attention network.
Recent research has also revealed that blueberry consumption improves executive function and memory in children. The researchers found that children who drank 500 mL of blueberry juice a day showed improved learning, memory, and word list recall. Furthermore, blueberry consumption reduced depressive symptoms in older people. Further research is needed to better understand the specific brain areas involved in these processes, as well as the role of cerebral blood flow.
Lowers cancer risk
One of the benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is that they may help reduce the risk of cancer. Research suggests that blueberries may have an anti-cancer effect, largely due to the phytochemicals they contain. In particular, one phytochemical in blueberries, pterostilbene, reverses a harmful mutation in cancer cells, which slows their growth and causes them to die off. Several other phytochemicals found in blueberries have been linked to a decreased risk of cancer.
The antioxidants in berries may have a protective effect, although more research is needed to establish a link between berry consumption and cancer prevention. In addition to protecting cells against cancer, berries may also evoke therapeutic and chemopreventive effects. This is especially important because these berries may cause cancer to grow in the first place. Researchers are also exploring the possible role that berries may play in the prevention of other diseases.
Lowers diabetes risk
Eating more fruits, like blueberries, may reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The natural compounds found in fruits such as blueberries contain flavonoids, which may be linked to a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. In fact, researchers in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, studied the effects of flavonoids in fruit on type 2 diabetes. But there is still no definitive proof that eating fruit helps prevent the disease.
To learn more about the specific benefits of blueberries, you can consult the glycemic index. This index measures how quickly a food increases blood sugar. For example, processed foods are high-glycemic, and they result in a fast rise in blood sugar. Blueberries are low-glycemic, and their effect on glucose levels is negligible. Therefore, blueberries are a great food for those at risk of diabetes.