Blueberries' Benefits
The pigments in blueberries and also in red crops such as cherries, plums, and red cabbage are powerful antioxidants. They have been determined to be a much-heralded chemical warrior against heart disease and also cancer. Blueberries actually have the highest antioxidant capacity because of their large anthocyanin concentration.
Antioxidants in our food can save us from virtually everything. Most of our health misfortunes are due to the perversity of oxygen. Our cells are perpetually besieged by toxic forms of oxygen which have been proved to have fierce destructive powers. So far scientists have linked destructive oxygen reactions to at least sixty different chronic diseases, as well as to aging itself. Oxygen free radicals can attack DNA, the genetic material of cells, causing them to mutate, which is a step on the path to cancer.
A team led by Wilhelmina Kalt, Ph.D., of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in Kentville, Nova Scotia, recently published research results showing that Wild Blueberries are consistently higher in antohcyanins, total phenolics and antioxidant capacity, compared to high-bush (cultivated) blueberries. Three separate analyses were conducted as part of this study. In all, over 100 cultivated varieties and 155 Wild Blueberry clones were tested. Using Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC), researchers measured 54% higher antioxidant capacity in Wild Blueberries as compared with cultivated. Wild Blueberries also had 97% more total phenolic content and 38% more anthocyanin than cultivated.
Blueberries are a wonderful fruit. The phytochemicals present in blueberries have properties that increase cell membrane fluidity, allowing important nutrients and chemical signals to pass in and out of the cell, thereby reducing inflammatory processes in tissues. Blueberries rated highest in antioxidants among over 40 fruits and vegetables. Blueberries protect the body against damage from oxidative stress, relieve tired eyes, and contain ellagic acid, which helps prevent urinary tract infections. In general, blueberries are one of the richest sources of antioxidant phytonutrients of all fresh fruits and vegetables and the polyphenolic components in them have many health benefits.
- Preventing heart disease and stroke by reducing the build up of so called "bad" cholesterol
- Guarding against Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases
- Combating aging and reversing short term memory loss
- Relieving arthritis inflammation
- Fighting infection and bolstering the immune system
- Promoting urinary tract health
- Optimizing vision health and reversing the causes of macular degeneration and blindness
improving motor skills
Acai Super Fruit Complex contains blueberries.
Acai fruit is the highest ranking orac fruit in the world with the highest antioxidant values of any fruit on earth!
Read about Acai Super Fruit Complex
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