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Want to fight the bulge? Try blueberries
by Jaspreet Virk - April 11, 2011 - comments
Apart from helping in reducing belly fat and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, a diet rich in blueberries can prevent aging, as the fruit is rich in anti-oxidants like anthocyanin.
Here's another reason to start snacking on blueberries. The fruit not only boosts immune system and prevents problems like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but can also fight the development of fat cells in the body, claims a new study.
According to the findings presented at the 'American Society for Nutrition experimental biology meeting' Sunday, high levels of polyphenols found in blueberries can inhibit body fat cells by up to three quarters.
Thus, the superfood has the ability to fight one of the world's greatest health problem: obesity.
Polyphenols in blueberries fights fat cells
To reach the findings, researchers conducted a study on mice. For this, they analyzed tissue culture taken from mice.
“I wanted to see if using blueberry polyphenols could inhibit obesity at a molecular stage," lead researcher Shiwani Moghe, a graduate student at Texas Woman's University (TWU) in Denton, TX.”
Researchers found that polyphenols in blueberries disrupted the creation of fat cells, and induced lipolysis, the breakdown of existing fat cells.
The lipid content in the control group was higher than content in the mice given three doses of blueberry polyphenols.
In fact, the highest dose of polyphenols reduced the lipid content by 73 percent, and the lowest dose led to 27 percent decrease.
Call for human trails
Though the trials on mice have yielded positive results, the effects on humans are yet not known.
Researchers found that polyphenols in blueberries disrupted the creation of fat cells, and induced lipolysis, the breakdown of existing fat cells.
"We still need to test this dose in humans, to make sure there are no adverse effects and to see if the doses are effective,” stated Moghe.
“The promise is there for blueberries to help reduce fat tissue from forming in the body,” she added.
Blueberry health benefits
Blueberries have many health benefits.
Apart from helping in reducing belly fat and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, a diet rich in blueberries can prevent aging, as the fruit is rich in anti-oxidants like anthocyanin.
The superfood is also capable of fighting against bacteria like b-coli along the lining of the inner walls of urinary tract.
Also, being rich in compounds called anthocyanosides, blueberries are known to slow down vision loss.
Further, they also prevent neurotic disorders, as they are rich source of nthocyanin, the selenium, the vitamins A, B-complex, C and E, the zinc, sodium, potassium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese.