Berries have heart health benefits

A diet rich in berries may boost levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and improve blood pressure, indicating their potential benefits for heart health, says a new study published in February's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Subjects in the berry group consumed 100 grams of whole bilberries and 50 grams of a lingonberry-rich nectar every other day. In addition, they consumed 100grams of purée of black currants or strawberries and a juice of raspberry and chokeberry on the other days. Meanwhile, the control group received one of four different products, including sugar-water, sweet rice porridge, marmalade sweets, or sweet semolina porridge.

At the end of the two month period, the researchers reported that levels of HDL-cholesterol rose significantly by 5.2 per cent in the berry group, compared to a 0.6 per cent increase in the control group. Total cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels were not altered, however.

In addition to improvements in blood pressure, the researchers note that consumption of the berry-rich diet was associated with an 11 per cent inhibition of platelet function, compared to a 1.4 per cent augmentation in the control group, as measured with a platelet function analyzer.