Eat wild blueberries for your heart!

Cardiometabolic health is greatly affected by diet, whether by the nature of nutrients, overall diet, or the degree of food processing. Certain foods are particularly beneficial to health. Focus on the benefits of wild blueberries...

The 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰-𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) is a plant commonly found in 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚. It is part of Quebec's culinary tradition and was already used by Native Americans. This small fruit 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭 on the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity index, illustrating its 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬. Its beneficial effects have been studied in several diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. A recent review published in the journal 𝐶𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑅𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝐹𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑆𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑁𝑢𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 summarized the results reported in the 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡.
This review summarizes the results presented at a symposium bringing together experts on the subject. Studies show that 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰-𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, whether acute or chronic, has a 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡, as well as on the functioning of the gut microbiota and cognitive functions. The most convincing effects were related to 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, via an effect on endothelial function. These effects are thought to be due to the 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐬 contained in these fruits, particularly anthocyanins. However, the cardiometabolic effects remain controversial, mainly due to the 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 and sample sizes. Further studies are therefore needed to confirm them.

Berries are widely recognized as 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐬, with positive effects on health, particularly on diseases related to the gut microbiota, including inflammation and cancer. So next time you go grocery shopping, 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐛𝐮𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬!