Foods like strawberries, apples, dark chocolate and red wine are sources of flavonoid, which has been shown to reduce the risk for heart attacks and strokes. According to the data from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) II which included 93 600 women, a combined intake of more than 3 servings a week of blueberries and strawberries decreases the risk of a heart attack by 34%.
And now a new study has shown that even frozen strawberries have a valuable effect in reducing the risk of a heart disease.
Strawberries and other sources of flavonoid protect against cardiovascular diseases because they improve the function of the cells that line the blood vessels (endothelial cells). The endothelial cells play an important role in the regulation of vascular tone and structure, as well as vascular inflammation and clot formation. The lesions of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) first begin to develop with damage to endothelial cells. Flavonoids, especially the proanthocyanidin types found in berries, and those found in other foods rich in flavonoid have been shown to protect and improve endothelial cell function.
According to a study that evaluated the effect that strawberry consumption has on the risk of a cardiovascular disease, a daily consumption of 500 grams of strawberries for one month significantly reduces the total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides levels (-8.78%, -13.72% and -20.80%, respectively) compared with the baseline period. Strawberry supplementation also showed a significant decrease in various markers of oxidative stress. The study also observed a significant increase (>40%) in plasma total antioxidant capacity after strawberry consumption.
Furthermore, strawberry consumption also improved platelet function, which prevents the formation of blood clots that can break off and cause a heart attack, stroke, or pulmonary embolism.
There is also new data from a study that was conducted in order to determine whether frozen strawberries improve levels of blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) and lower biomarkers of inflammation and lipid oxidation in adults with abdominal obesity and elevated serum lipids.
The study included 60 volunteers which consumed 1 of the following 4 doses for 12 weeks:
1) low-dose frozen dried strawberries (LD-FDS; 25 g/d);
2) low-dose control (LD-C);
3) high-dose frozen dried strawberries (HD-FDS; 50 g/d); and
4) high-dose frozen dried strawberries control (HD-C).
The results showed that the high-dose group experienced significantly greater decreases in serum total and LDL cholesterol when compared to the low-dose group.
Both doses of strawberries showed a similar decrease in a marker of cellular oxidative damage (serum malondialdehyde) at week 12. The consumption of strawberries didn’t affect the blood pressure, blood sugar, and serum concentrations of HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation).
This study suggests that fiber components in fruits might have a positive effect on cholesterol.
Of course, fresh fruit is always a better choice, but the point of this study is that even a small intake of frozen dried strawberries significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
