Blueberries may help fight obesity

Published on April 27, 2011  

Recently a study out of the Texas Women's University looked at whether blueberries with their high polyphenol content could help in fighting obesity. Blueberries after all have already been cited as having positive health effects on other conditions like cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. The study was conducted in Petri dishes (not live animals) using a blueberry polyphenol extract and tissue cultures from mice. On the surface the findings look positive. The purpose was to examine the effect that the polyphenol in blueberries had in counteracting the development of fat cells. The result was a 73 percent reduction in the number of fat cells using the highest dose and a 27 percent reduction with the smallest dose. Positive but, what does this actually mean?

"I wanted to see if using blueberry polyphenols could inhibit obesity at a molecular level. We still need to test this dose in humans to make sure there are no adverse effects and to see if the doses are as effective.

Determining the best dose for humans will be important. The promise is there for blueberries to help reduce adipose tissue from forming in the body," says Shiwani Moghe the head researcher for the study.

"This sounds like the basis for a new drug development company instead of encouraging people to shop the produce section of their local supermarket," say co-authors Dian Griesel, Ph.D. and Tom Griesel. In their new book, TurboCharged: Accelerate Your Fat Burning Metabolism, Get Lean Fast and Leave Diet and Exercise Rules in the Dust (BSH, 2011), the Griesel's point out that anyone can become lean and healthy and that fruits and veggies are one of the essentials.

"Take a look at the 25 highest known polyphenol rich foods and you will see that the list is almost entirely fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. These are the same "natural" foods we have consumed for tens of thousands of years. French scientists have identified 452 foods and 502 different types of polyphenols. Odds are they all play an important part in our health in one way or another," according to Tom Griesel.

A Spanish scientist working at the institute of Food Research in Norwich looked at apples, peaches and nectarines. She found that the non-extractable polyphenol content is up to five times higher in the actual fruit than the extractable compounds. "The extracted compounds are obtained by treating with acid to obtain them from the cell walls of the fruit in the lab," according to Sara Arranz of the Spanish Council of Scientific Research (CSIC) in Madrid.

"If non-extracted polyphenols are not considered, the levels of beneficial polyphenols such as proanthocyanidins, ellagic acid and catchin are substantially underestimated." The Spanish research group has been working to show that non-extractable polyphenols, which generally are not considered in analysis and nutritional studies, are a major part of the bioactive compounds in a healthy diet.

Polyphenols might also work with fibers like pectin and have a positive effect in large intestine accessibility. Dr. Paul Kroon explains "In the human body, these compounds will be fermented by bacteria in the colon, creating metabolites that may be beneficial, for example with antioxidant activity."

What this all means according to Dian Griesel, who has worked with cutting edge biotechnology and drug development companies for the past 15 years is that, "Fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are best consumed in their natural unadultered form as designed and the way they have been consumed for tens of thousands of years during our evolution. It's not smart to fool with Mother Nature."

"Consuming a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and many spices will help maintain high levels of polyphenols in your body and blood stream all day long. Foods with rich colors are usually the best and contain the highest amounts of all known polyphenols and antioxidants. Even tea, coffee, red wine and chocolate have been shown to have high levels of polyphenols," says Tom.

"Another key is to avoid dietary sources that increase free radicals and destroy the beneficial properties of polyphenols like deep fried foods, processed and over cooked or chemically treated meats like luncheon cuts and bacon. In addition, your body will use up antioxidant polyphenols much faster if you are under stress which makes a regularly practiced stress reduction technique essential, "says Dian.

The Griesels conclude: "Do not wait for any conclusion or recommendation of these 'scientific' studies. For ideal health, fresh fruits and vegetables are ideal foods. They are naturally high in all known and unknown polyphenols and antioxidants. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds daily and no additional drugs or 'extract' supplements are required to maintain optimal health."

SOURCE Texas Women's University

Blueberries may protect muscles from exercise damage

By Stephen Daniells, 02-Apr-2010

Antioxidant-rich extracts of blueberries may counter the detrimental effect of excessive exercise, according to new results from a new study from New Zealand.

Damage to muscle cells exposed to oxidative stress was significantly reduced when also exposed to doses of blueberry fruit extracts, according to findings published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.

“In our study blueberry fruits were suggested as good candidates to combat muscle oxidative damage although further investigations especially at an in vivo level are needed,” wrote the researchers, led by Dr Roger Hurst from New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research. Blueberries, nature's only 'blue' food, are a rich source of polyphenols, potent antioxidants that include phenolics acids, tannins, flavonols and anthocyanins.

The berries are said to have a number of positive health effects, including cholesterol reduction, and prevention against some cancers and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. The popularity of the berry has increased in recent years with the publication of more science supporting its health benefits, and an overall consumer move towards 'superfruits' and all things 'antioxidant'.

Potential with perspective

While the new study supports a potential role for improved muscle health, the researchers note the limitations of their in vitro approach, particularly in relation to how this translates to effects in vivo. “Much further research using human intervention studies is warranted to fully understand the implication of the findings reported here with our in vitro evaluations,” wrote the researchers. “Bioavailability concerns also make it difficult to evaluate if the doses used in this and many other published in vitro studies are appropriate.”

Study details

Dr Hurst and his co-workers used developing skeletal muscle fibres, also known as myotubes, and exposed them to various concentrations of fruit extracts, as well as a calcium compound known to induce stress as occurs in exercising muscle (calcium ionophore), or a compound known to induce oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide). Results showed that the blueberry extract protected the muscle fibres in a dose-dependent manner. Further analysis of the extract indicated that the active compounds could be malvidin galactoside and malvidin glucoside, said the researchers. “These in vitro data support the concept that blueberry fruits or derived foods rich in malvidin glycosides may be beneficial in alleviating muscle damage caused by oxidative stress,” wrote Dr Hurst and his co-workers.

From Petri dish to marathon runner

“Although it is difficult to deduce the biological significance of the data presented here from in vitro studies, one may speculate that consumption of blueberry fruit polyphenolics and particularly malvidin glycosides may be beneficial in alleviating the damaging consequences of oxidative stress in muscle tissue,” wrote Dr Hurst and his co-workers. “Our data further endorse that more research in the action of blueberry fruit polyphenolics and muscle function is warranted. Detailed research, especially utilizing human intervention trials may provide the robust evidence required to support the use of blueberry fruit polyphenolics in functional foods and/or sports supplements,” they concluded.

Plant & Food Research’s Dr Roger Hellens, Genomics Science Group Leader, will be presenting at the upcoming NutraIngredients Antioxidants 2010 Conference in Brussels on the subject of super Vegetables. For more information and to register, please click here .

Source: Molecular Nutrition & Food Research
Volume 54 Issue 3, Pages 353-363, doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200900094

“Blueberry fruit polyphenolics suppress oxidative stress-induced skeletal muscle cell damage in vitro”
Authors: R.D. Hurst, R.W. Wells, S.M. Hurst, T.K. McGhie, J.M. Cooney, D.J. Jense

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US: Blueberries Counteract Intestinal

Diseases

It is already known that blueberries are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. New research from the Lund University Faculty of Engineering in Sweden shows that blueberry fiber are important and can alleviate and protect against intestinal inflammations, such as ulcerative colitis. The protective effect is even better if the blueberries are eaten together with probiotics.

The project originated as an attempt to see whether various types of dietary fiber and health-promoting bacteria, so-called probiotic bacteria such as lactobacillus and bifidobacteria, can help alleviate and prevent the risk of ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer.

"But new knowledge of this field is also of interest to those who don't believe they run the risk of developing any intestinal diseases. In recent years the research world has been realizing that our health is governed to a great extent by what happens in our large intestine," explain Camilla Bränning, a PhD in Applied Nutrition and Åsa Håkansson, a doctoral candidate in Food Hygiene at the Division of Applied Nutrition and Food Chemistry. The researchers tested various types of diets of blueberry husks, rye bran and oat bran with or without a mixture of probiotic bacteria. The results showed that the protective effect of blueberries was reinforced if they were eaten together with probiotics. "The probiotics proved to have a protective effect on the liver, an organ that is often negatively impacted by intestinal inflammations," explains Åsa Håkansson.

Blueberries are rich in polyphenols, which have an antimicrobial and antioxidative effect. The combination of blueberries and probiotics reduced inflammation-inducing bacteria in the intestine at the same time as the number of health-promoting lactobacilla increased. Åsa Håkansson and Camilla Bränning also noted that if blueberries are eaten together with probiotics, the content of butyric acid and propionic acid increased in the blood, two substances that are formed when fiber are broken down and that have previously been known to be important energy sources for intestinal cells. In recent years they have also been shown to favorably impact the immune defense. It seems as if the absorption of these components is facilitated by the presence of probiotics.

"What surprised us was that such a large share of the butyric acid not only was taken up by the intestinal cells but was also transported onward to the blood. Previously it was thought that the intestinal cells used all of the butyric acid, but this is not at all the case," says Camilla Bränning, who recently defended her dissertation on the subject. "A further explanation for the extremely positive effect of blueberries may be that the blueberry fibres are not degraded to such a high degree in the large intestine. This means that inflammation-inducing substances do not come into contact with the mucous lining of the intestine but are embedded in the fiber instead. Then these substances are transported out of body together with the faeces," explains Camilla Bränning.

The researchers also found that rye bran was broken down in the large intestine, in the same place that ulcerative colitis and large-intestine cancer often occur, and that the rye bran provided a rich supply of butyric acid and propionic acid. On the other hand, the fiber in oat bran were degraded earlier in the large intestine. The most striking result, however, was that blueberries themselves had such a favorable effect compared with both rye bran and oat bran. Some 15-20 percent of all Swedes suffer from stomach pains, diarrhea, or constipation, complaints resulting from intestinal disorders and more undefined intestinal problems. The disease ulcerative colitis is one of the inflammatory intestinal diseases included under the general name IBD, inflammatory bowel diseases. It can lead to colorectal cancer and afflicts about 1,000 Swedes per year.

Source: sciencedaily.com

Publication date: 2/9/2010

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Study: Blueberries may boost memory in older adults

By Stephen Daniells, January 11, 2010 – Nutra Ingrediants.com Europe

Supplemental blueberries for only 12 weeks may boost memory in older people with early memory problems, says a new study from the US.

A daily drink of about 500 mL of blueberry juice was associated with improved learning and word list recall, as well as a suggestion of reduced depressive symptoms, according to findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The study is said to be the first human trial to assess the potential benefits of blueberries on brain function in older adults with increased risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and currently affects over 13 million people worldwide. The direct and indirect cost of Alzheimer care is over $100bn (€ 81bn) in the US alone. The direct cost of Alzheimer care in the UK was estimated at £15bn (€ 22bn).

“These preliminary memory findings are encouraging and suggest that consistent supplementation with blueberries may offer an approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration,” wrote the researchers, led by Robert Krikorian from the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center.

“Interpretation of our findings should be tempered because of the relatively small sample size and the absence of a blueberry-specific control, although comparison with the analogous placebo beverage data provides some assurance that the observed changes in memory performance were not attributable to practice effects,” they added.

Berries are booming

Blueberry consumption has previously been linked to reduced risk of Alzheimer’s, with reports in 2003 leading to a boom in sales in the UK, going from £10.3m (€14.9m) in 2003 to almost £40m (€58m) in 2005, according to UK supplier BerryWorld.

The beneficial effects of the blueberries are thought to be linked to their flavonoid content - in particular anthocyanins and flavanols. The exact way in which flavonoids affect the brain are unknown, but they have previously been shown to cross the blood brain barrier after dietary intake.

It is believed that they may exert their effects on learning and memory by enhancing existing neuronal connections, improving cellular communications and stimulating neuronal regeneration.

Study details

Krikorian and his co-workers recruited nine older people with an average age of 76.2 and an average educational level of 15.6 years. Subjects were assigned to receive a daily dose of blueberry juice equivalent to between 6 and 9 mL per kilogram of body weight per day. The juice used in the study was provided by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America.

Results showed significant improvements in improved learning and word list recall. There was also a trend towards reduced depressive symptoms and lower glucose levels. Krikorian and his co-workers added that it would be interesting in future studies to examine if changes in cognitive function are associated with metabolic improvements.

“Replication of the findings in a larger, controlled trial will be important to corroborate and amplify these data,” wrote the researchers. “On balance, this initial study establishes a basis for further human research of blueberry supplementation as a preventive intervention with respect to cognitive aging,” they concluded.

The other researchers were affiliated with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging and Tufts University.

Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1021/jf9029332
“Blueberry Supplementation Improves Memory in Older Adults”
Authors: R. Krikorian, M.D. Shidler, T.A. Nash, W. Kalt, M.R. Vinqvist-Tymchuk, B. Shukitt-Hale, J.A. Joseph

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Blueberries may be small but they pack a healthy punch! Sweet, tangy and intensely blue, Blueberries are rich in phytonutrients – antioxidants such as anthocyanin, as well as anti-inflammatory. These natural substances, found in fruits and vegetables, are believed to protect against disease and promote healthy aging… and Blueberries are at the top of the antioxidant “A list”!  

You can enjoy the versatility of blueberries as a
snack, a perk in pancakes or muffins, or a topping
for cereal or yogurt. Along with their burst of
flavor, blueberries also offer a serious shot of
nutrients. So go ahead and reach for the
blueberries. You’re reaching for good health, as
well…

People have always loved scooping up handfuls of
blueberries to eat. But not until researchers
discovered the berry’s powerhouse of antioxidant
phytonutrients did blueberries burst onto the
nutrition landscape. In fact, according to the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA),
blueberries have the highest antioxidant activity
of 40 vegetables and fruits. And blueberries
offer approximately 40% more antioxidants than
cultivated varieties.

So far, scientists around the world have
discovered that blueberries may help prevent
serious health conditions like heart disease and
cancer, as well as promote healthy aging by
reversing age-related short-term memory loss.
Blueberries may also improve night vision and help
prevent urinary tract infections.