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• Blueberries shown to have the highest antioxidant capacity of 40 tested fruits and vegetables.
• Tufts USDA animal study points to improved memory, motor skills.
• University of Illinois research shows Wild Blueberries' cancer-fighting promise.
• Studies show blueberries, like cranberries, have a unique component that's useful in treating and preventing urinary tract infections.
• Anthocyanins linked to reduced eyestrain and other nutraceutical benefits. New studies by USDA and University of Illinois scientists point to health benefits from eating Wild Blueberries that may be as far reaching as preventing cancer and retarding the effects of aging - particularly loss of memory and motor skills. Scientists attribute these benefits to anthocyanins and other natural compounds (phytochemicals) found in Wild Blueberries. Anthocyanins (from two Greek words meaning "plant" and "blue") are responsible for the intense blue color of Wild Blueberries.
Focus On Antioxidants Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University are focusing on the antioxidant characteristics of various fruits and vegetables. In particular, they are investigating an important group of phytochemicals called flavonoids, which include Wild Blueberry anthocyanins. USDA scientists Dr. Ronald Prior and Dr. Guohua Cao have demonstrated that blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity of the 40 different fruits and vegetables tested. "The antioxidant characteristics in blueberries appear to be due largely to anthocyanins," says Dr. Prior, whose earlier research led to his hypothesis that the pigment of red and blue fruits was at play. Wild Blueberries contain one of the highest anthocyanin levels of berries commercially available in North America. Antioxidants neutralize the negative by-products of metabolism called free radicals, which can damage DNA molecules and lead to cancer. Antioxidants also counteract environmental carcinogens, protect against cardiovascular disease, fight sun damage to skin and may thwart the effects of Alzheimer's and other age-related diseases. Animal Studies Show Anti-Aging Effects Also at the Jean Mayer Center, USDA scientist Dr. James Joseph artificially aged rats by placing them in an environment overly rich in oxygen. The animals that were fed diets containing blueberry extract had smaller changes in brain neurotransmitter function than those fed other diets; this may translate to improved cognitive and motor functions. Dr. Joseph also attributes the beneficial effect of the blueberry diet primarily to its high anthocyanin content. Wild Blueberries And Cancer Research At the University of Illinois, cancer research has broken new ground. A recent study by Dr. Mary Ann Smith and Dr. Keith Singletary shows that another flavonoid component in Wild Blueberries inhibits an enzyme that is involved in the promotion stage of cancer. Dr. Smith applied extracts from Wild Blueberries, cultivated blueberries and European bilberries to living cells at various stages in the development of cancer. Wild Blueberries exhibited some of the greatest anti-cancer activity of all the berries examined. Effective Treatment For Urinary Tract Infections These studies join a growing body of research on the health benefits of blueberries. Studies in 1994 and 1996 showed that blueberries, like cranberries, are beneficial in treating and preventing urinary tract infections. A component found only in blueberry and cranberry juices inhibits bacteria from attaching to the bladder wall, thereby reducing infection. Improved Vision And Other Nutraceutical Benefits Of Wild Blueberries The potential health benefits of anthocyanins have been the subject of more than 100 studies worldwide, according to Dr. Willy Kalt of the Kentville Research Centre in Nova Scotia. Anthocyanins found in bilberries, the European cousin of the Wild Blueberry, have been linked to reducing eyestrain, controlling diabetes, improving circulation, and other health benefits. Dr. Kalt demonstrated that these same anthocyanins are found in high concentrations in the lowbush Wild Blueberry. Growing Interest In Nutraceuticals According to Susan Davis, MS, RD, nutrition advisor to the Wild Blueberry Association of North America (WBANA) and a Registered Dietitian, studies of the therapeutic or nutraceutical properties of Wild Blueberries are significant for professional dietitians, the public, and food manufacturers who are marketing to an increasingly knowledgeable and health-conscious consumer. Davis adds, "Vitamins and minerals are well recognized as necessary to good health. Now, scientists are excited about the extraordinary properties of numerous naturally occurring phytochemicals such as the anthocyanins contained in Wild Blueberries." Davis and her colleagues in the American Dietetic Association recommend getting phytochemicals from food rather than supplements. "We know that diets high in fruits and vegetables protect against heart disease and cancer. Studies such as those on Wild Blueberries are beginning to explain why." Wild Blueberries: Nature's Healthy Blue Food The new research on anthocyanins and other phytochemicals is good news for health-conscious consumers, according to John Sauv¸, executive director of WBANA: "Simply put, we now know that the blue in Wild Blueberries is good for you. This, combined with the other nutritional benefits of Wild Blueberries -- that they are good sources of vitamin C and fiber, with no fat, cholesterol or sodium -- gives Wild Blueberries the unique distinction of being Nature's great-tasting healthy blue food." Wild Blueberries, which are commercially harvested only in Maine and eastern Canada, are available year-round in a variety of forms, including frozen, dried, canned and concentrated. WBANA is an international trade association of growers and processors of Wild Blueberries from Maine and Canada. For free Wild Blueberry recipes, send a #10, self-addressed, stamped envelope to:
WBANA
P. O. Box 180
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609-0180
Editorial contacts: Dick Pirozzolo at 617-235-9911 or Valerie Geredien 207-775-4100
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