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Recent discoveries attribute potential health benefits to antioxidants such as anthocyanin, anti-inflammatories and other natural compounds found in the deep blue pigment of Wild Blueberries. Ongoing studies are focused on:
Antioxidant Activity. According to recently published USDA research findings, Wild Blueberries are highest in antioxidant capacity per serving, compared with more than 20 other fruits. Using a lab testing procedure called Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC), USDA researcher Ronald Prior, Ph.D., showed that a one-cup serving of Wild Blueberries had more antioxidant capacity than a serving of cranberries, strawberries, plums, raspberries and even cultivated blueberries. Antioxidants have been linked with anti-aging, anti-cancer and heart-health benefits. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2004, 52: 4026-4037 Anti-Aging. James Joseph, Ph.D., and his team at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston report that a diet of blueberries may improve motor skills and reverse the short-term memory loss that comes with aging and age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s. USDA animal trials showed improved navigational skills after a two-month diet of blueberry extract. Although other fruits and vegetables were studied, only blueberries were effective in improving motor skills. Nutritional Neuroscience, 6:153-162, 2003; Journal of Neuroscience, September 15, 1999, 19(18); 8114-8121. Cancer Prevention. Studies conducted by Mary Ann Lila, Ph.D., Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, indicate that compounds in Wild Blueberries may be effective inhibitors of both the initiation and promotion stages of cancer. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 52:6442, 2004; Journal of Food Science , Vol. 65, No. 2, 2000. Urinary Tract Health. At the Rutgers University Blueberry Cranberry Research Center, Amy Howell, Ph.D., showed that blueberries, like cranberries, contain compounds that prevent the bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections from attaching to the bladder wall. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 52:6442, 2004; New England Journal of Medicine , Volume 339, Number 15. 1998 Protection Against Stroke. Animal trials conducted by Marva Sweeney Nixon and her team at the University of Prince Edward Island, PEI, Canada, indicate that consumption of Wild Blueberries confers protection to the brain against damage from ischemic stroke.Source: Nutritional Neuroscience, 2002 Dec.; 5(6): 427-31 Heart Health. Blueberries may reduce the build up of so called "bad" cholesterol that contributes to cardiovascular disease and stroke, according to scientists at the University of California at Davis. Antioxidants are believed to be the active component. http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/Publications.htm?seq_no_115=158350 Food Navigator story: http://foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?id=54296&n=dt237&c=dftowxjyiybonne
New research by Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, Ph.D., and her team at the University of Maine, Orono, concludes that a diet of Wild Blueberries may reduce risk from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Animal studies suggest that Wild Blueberries have the potential to decrease the vulnerability of heart blood vessels to oxidative stress and inflammation in animal models. This builds on previous work by the Klimis-Zacas team, which demonstrated the positive effect of a Wild Blueberry-based diet on animal-model blood vessel function. Vision Health. Research around the world has indicated that the anthocyanin content in blueberries may improve night vision and prevent tired eyes. Several European studies documented the relationship between bilberries, a European cousin of blueberries, and improved eyesight. Japanese researchers showed that blueberries helped ease eye fatigue. New & Promising. At the eighth annual Wild Blueberry Health Research Summit held in August 2005, researchers previewed new and promising studies in the fields of neuroscience, aging, cardiovascular disease, cancer and eye health. Two new areas currently being explored include:
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