Tasty Summer Treat SLASHES Heart Risk
It’s June, which means it’s prime season for one of my favorite fruits: blueberries.
If you’ve never gone blueberry picking—or at least eaten freshly picked blueberries from a local farm—you’re missing out.
The burst of flavor you get with every bite makes the typical supermarket varieties taste like flavored water.
But more than bursting with flavor, these little purple treats are bursting with health benefits as well.
While studies have shown their benefits for everyone, a recent study highlighted a unique benefit for post-menopausal women in particular.
A recent study included postmenopausal women with high blood pressure who took 22 grams of freeze-dried blueberry powder mixed with water every day.
After 12 weeks, they experienced improvements in their endothelial function (the inner lining of the blood vessels).
This is critical for heart health since endothelial dysfunction has been linked to the development of atherosclerosis.
One way blueberries improved endothelial function was by reducing levels of oxidative stress.
This is on target with previous studies showing how foods high in polyphenols (like blueberries) reduce oxidative stress in the body.
In other words, this study not only shows that blueberries do improve heart health, but it reveals how they do so.
The amount of freeze-dried blueberries used in this study was about the equivalent of one cup of fresh blueberries.
I don’t know about you, but I could eat that in one sitting!
And since it’s blueberry season, I recommend eating them fresh.
If blueberries aren’t your thing, you can get the benefits of polyphenols through foods like nuts, tea, legumes, cocoa, and more.
P.S. There’s another tasty summer fruit that can lower your blood pressure and improve endothelial (the tissues lining your heart and blood vessels) function. Read about it, right here.
