Blueberries are bursting with antioxidants

New cell research confirms that blueberries have antioxidant properties

New research findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows that wild blueberries have the highest antioxidant activity in cells among a wide variety of fruits and berries. Research Director Rui Hai Liu, PhD, used the so-called CAA-method (Cellular Antioxidant Activity)-a new test method developed at Cornell University's Department of Food Science to determine the antioxidant activity of antioxidants, food and supplements. Wild Blueberry fared better in the cells than cranberries, apples and red and blue grapes.

According to Dr. Liu can CAA-test provide more specialized results than test-tube experiments, when you want to measure biological activity inside cells. "We have taken the next step toward an understanding of antioxidants activity by examining how they react inside cells. This new approach is more biologically relevant, because it takes into account for admission, circulation, distribution and activity of the antioxidant substances in cells rather than only looking at the antioxidant value ".

Dr. Lius work builds on other research into antioxidants using chemistry or test-tube experiments, for example. ORAC tests (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). "ORAC is still a good test what we have done is to take research one step further to see how these substances react inside cells. We believe that it is a stronger measure of how antioxidant substances potentially works in the body ".

According to a researcher at the u.s. Department of agriculture and the developer of the ORAC test Ron Prior, Ph. d., CAA-method a step forward. "CAA method shows the cellular levels of antioxidants, which is important for our understanding of this area of antioxidant research. How useful method will be to predict absorption and availability of antioxidants from the diet in humans, must be demonstrated through further trials ".

Wild blueberries: nature's antioxidant super fruit
Susan Davis, M.S., R.D. and nutritional adviser with Wild Blueberry Association, advises consumers to choose brightly colored, natural nutritional foods such as wild blueberries. "Wild Blueberry is chock-full with natural, protective substances with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect. Eat at least l dl blueberries a day as part of a well-balanced diet. Antioxidant-containing foods is the key to weight control, healthy aging and reducing the risk of chronic diseases ". According to Davis helps the antioxidants protect cells against free radicals – unstable oxygen molecules linked to cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's and other age-related disorders. A dose of wild blueberries have more antioxidants than most other fruits.

Wild blueberries are now found in the meat counter at supermarkets all over the country. They are frozen quickly, while they are most fresh-and they are just as nutritious as fresh berries. "It's easy to get more fruits and vegetables into your family's meal plan when you have frozen products at your fingertips," says Davis. "Just grab 1 dl blueberries from the freezer and sprinkle them over your oatmeal or corn flakes, put them in a smoothie or enjoy them without anything to".

Davis has to choose very brightly colored fruits and vegetables, which is packed with health-enhancing herbal. Anthocyanins give blueberries their deep blue color pure and works in the body to fend off attacks from the environment in the form of poor diet, little exercise and other stress factors.

Wild Blueberry Association of North America is a trade association of growers and producers of wild blueberries. It has as its goal to spread the word about wild blueberries and their unique properties to consumers the world over. Go onto www.wildblueberries.com for more information ...

Read More

Why Blueberries are good for you

Blueberry
Blueberries are known among other things as whortleberry, bilberry and huckleberry depending on the continent. The Latin name is Vaccinium myrtillus. The plant grows typically in regions with mountains or Heather, and it is found wild in Northern European countries and in North America. Most people know the blueberries as a wild delicacy that is used in cooking, but the plant as well as its Berry has for many centuries been used for medicinal purposes. Traditionally, leaves and berries, in the form of a strong tea, has been used against diarrhea, inflammation in the mouth and throat, bladder inflammation, ulcers and kidney stones.

Active compounds in blueberries
The active compounds in blueberries is tannin, flavonglykosid and anthocyanin. The latter provides for the pigment a very special dark blue color. Anthocyanin is, however, more than one kind of dye, as it also acts as a very powerful antioxidant. Blueberries have a very high, and some say the highest antioxidant capacity (Protestant). This can also be seen in relation to a high content of vitamins A and C.


Anthocyanin helps fight inflammation and strengthens the connective tissue. Inflammation occurs when harmful enzymes destroy the connective tissue in the capillaries so blood can drain out in the surrounding connective tissue. Anthocyanin can, however, help to neutralise these enzymes and thus reduce the risk of inflammation. In addition, anthocyanin prevent free radicals (unstable oxygen molecules des.) from harming the connective tissue. In this way helps to stabilise the bilberry with collagen-a protein which forms the "backbone" of the healthy connective tissue.

Anthocyanin also helps to improve the blood flow in the weak capillaries, as well as in the larger veins. nthocyanin strengthens the capillaries by protecting them against the free radicals harmful effect, whereby the capillaries walls stabilize. Blueberries can in this way be instrumental in helping people with peripheral disruption in blood circulation.

Bilberry extract
Within the therapeutic category used blueberries today as an extract containing a highly concentrated amount of active substances out of anthocyanin. It is possible to standardize the Blueberry extract with a anthocyanin content of 25% at a concentration which is 100-250 times larger than that found in fresh blueberries. The content of the active substance may vary considerably depending on the method of analysis used. UV method can incorrectly show a higher content of anthocyanin, which is why the HPLC method is recommended for determining the anthocyanin content in bilberry extract.

Did you know
-that according to rumors, was Blueberry jam given to pilots by the British Royal Air Force during the second world war in order to improve their vision, including night vision, in order to sharpen the pilots ' navigation ability in the air.

One of the explanations behind this phenomenon is anthocyanins ability to protect the eye against free radicals caused by UV radiation and pollution. Protection against free radicals attack on the blood vessels in the eye improves blood circulation and the eye's connective tissue is stabilized.

Read More

Bananas protects against stomach ulcers

Bananas soothe ulcers, shows a comparison of the two groups of patients.

Ulcer patients should eat more bananas, according to Indian researchers. They have successfully tested the bananas as treatment of irritation in the stomach, which is often a precursor to a full-blown ulcer.

Bananas in India have long been used to treat various diseases, including gastric ulcers.

Bananas have a soft texture that attaches itself protective over the wound. In addition, bananas neutralize digestive juices, which is helping to develop and worsen the wound.

For further effect was a series of tests using bananas to test patients treated with tablets that contained dried banana powder. Treatment with banana powder lasted for eight weeks.

A control group was given at the same time pills without banana powder. Patients from both groups had symptoms at onset of peptic ulcer.

Three out of four patients in the banana group got relief of their symptoms, while it was only one out of five in the control group. Against this background, the researchers conclude, that bananas are a safe and effective treatment of irritation in the stomach and thus probably also stomach ulcers.

Patients who received tablets with banana powder:	%
Healing	50%
Relief	25%
No effect	25%

Patients who received tablets without banana powder	%
Healing	10%
Relief	10%
No effect	80%

Read More

Avocado oil from California

Nutrition experts have found new ways to use California avocado oil. Extensive research has shown that there are factors affecting the health in California avocado-oil, which plays a very big role in human nutrition.

One of the primary factors are vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin, which can be stored in the body. It be the stand of a group of compounds called tocopherols (the name derives from the Greek word for "conceive"). There are seven natural forms: Alpha, Beta, Delta, Epsilon, Eta, Gamma and Zeta, which together make a natural vitamin E-complex. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, meaning that it can reduce the oxidation of other substances in the body and thus prevent vitamin A degrades and combined with other substances. The vitamin also plays an important role in muscle cell respiration (specifically brain-tea-and skeletal muscle). It is believed that the vitamin helps to inject the cells nourished, strengthen capillary walls and protect the red blood cells. Avocados were of the ancient Aztecs thought to be an aphrodisiac.

Octacosanol is found in relatively large amounts in California avocado-oil (about 2.5 times as much as in cold-pressed wheat germ oil). In addition, its sister components: Triacontanol, hentriacontan, nonacosan, h.e., heptacosan... etc. Octacosanol is an active energy triggering factor.

California avocado-oil has a naturally high content of lecithin. Lecithin consists of a combination of diglycerides of stearic, oleic acid, palmitin and which connects to the cholinester found in the phosphoric acid. It is a good organic source of phosphor and one of the best of choline, a B-vitamin. Choline is used in medicine as a cardiac stimulant. It acts as methyldonor for prevention of oxidation and the formation of important biochemicals. It is also a lypolytisk factor, which checks and removes fat accumulation in the liver. Acetylcholine acts as neurotransmitter across the cholinerge synapses in the parasympathetic nervous system.

Phosphates plays an essential role in the transfer and storage of energy through the formation of ATP and constitute a large part of celle membrane lipderne, DNA and RNA. Phosphates serve as buffer and maintains proper tension and osmotic pressure in the cell fluids. Normal human skin inside to hold approximately 0.4% lecithin. Due to its emollient role not only in the inclusion of lecithin helps fat substances; under it maximizes the effect of the fat soluble vitamins A, D and E.

Read More

Looking to improve you eyesight?

It could hardly be as easier with the help of a pair of some pinhole glasses. People have bee using these to improve there eyesight and the number of people buying pairs and improving their eyesight has been increasing! People cannot believe the effect pinhole glasses have on their eyesight and lives. See more clearly and get a better perspective. Eye surgery is far to expensive (compare £9.99 for a pair of pinhole glasses to eye surgery costing thousands and putting you out of work for a couple weeks as well as you recover... and on-top of that there are risks) eye surgery just masks the symptoms of bad eyesight the initial cause is still around.. pinhole glasses on the other hand will strengthen your eye muscles. All you must do is wear pinhole glasses for about let's say 15 minutes per day and within a couple of months you will see the difference.

Read More