In addition to apples, bananas and pears, there is also the world of fruits that, as well as having a delicious flavour, have such important nutritional qualities that prestigious university studies have certified them as extremely important products in the prevention and treatment of certain pathologies.
We are talking about berries, also known as forest fruits or red fruits, a group of fruits that includes blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries, types of fruit that are very characteristic of the province of Huelva.
As well as being outstanding for their delicious flavours, these fruits have qualities that are very beneficial for those who eat them, helping to prevent certain illnesses. Fortunately, berries and other brightly coloured plants have a high antioxidant power, which allows them to drastically increase their antioxidant protection levels, providing unprecedented protective effects.
How important is colour? Many scientific studies have shown that the natural pigments that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colours offer remarkable health benefits. One important class of compounds in this category is flavonoids, powerful antioxidants that are linked to health benefits including protection against cancer, cardiovascular disease, dementia, diabetes and stroke, to name just a few.1
Antioxidants provide health benefits by scavenging free radicals, which play a role in the development of many age-related diseases. The antioxidant value of a food can be estimated using a measure known as ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). Foods with a higher ORAC value have a greater capacity to scavenge free radicals 2 . Scientists have found that increasing our daily intake of foods with high ORAC values increases the body’s plasma and tissue antioxidant protection, protecting the body’s tissues against a free radical attack that can lead to disease.1 , 2
One of nature’s most potent classes of flavonoids are anthocyanins. These compounds have some of the highest ORAC values recorded among compounds found in fruits and vegetables. They are responsible for the deep colours of berries. As a general rule, the more deeply coloured fruits and vegetables are, the more nutrients they contain.
Around the world, studies of anthocyanins and other compounds derived from berries and other fruits have demonstrated their benefits in fighting diseases such as cancer, 3 diabetes, 4 , 5 arthritis, allergies and reducing inflammation. 6 They are particularly effective in counteracting the effects of ageing, and show benefits against several age-related diseases, neurological disorders 7 such as Alzheimer’s disease 8 and macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness in the elderly). 9 Anthocyanin-rich fruits also protect blood vessels, 10 lower blood pressure, 11 and lower cholesterol, 12 offering protection against cardiovascular disease. 13 Some studies have even linked berry extract to protection against osteoporosis.14
Referencias
1. Cao G, Booth SL, Sadowski JA, Prior RL. Increases in human plasma antioxidant capacity after consumption of controlled diets high in fruit and vegetables. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Nov;68(5):1081-7.
2. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/feb99/aging0299.pdf. Accessed July 3, 2008.
3. Seeram NP. Berry fruits for cancer prevention: current status and future prospects. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Feb 13;56(3):630-5.
4. Valcheva-Kuzmanova S, Kuzmanov K, Tancheva S, Belcheva A. Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol. 2007 Mar;29(2):101-5.
5. Bertuglia S, Malandrino S, Colantuoni A. Effect of Vaccinium myrtillus anthocyanosides on ischaemia reperfusion injury in hamster cheek pouch microcirculation. Pharmacol Res. 1995 Mar;31(3-4):183-7.
6. Borissova P, Valcheva S, Belcheva A. Antiinflammatory effect of flavonoids in the natural juice from Aronia melanocarpa, rutin and rutin-magnesium complex on an experimental model of inflammation induced by histamine and serotonin. Acta Physiol Pharmacol Bulg. 1994;20(1):25-30.
7. Galli RL, Shukitt-Hale B, Youdim KA, Joseph JA. Fruit polyphenolics and brain aging: nutritional interventions targeting age-related neuronal and behavioral deficits. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2002 Apr;959:128-32.
8. Joseph JA, Denisova NA, Arendash G, et al. Blueberry supplementation enhances signaling and prevents behavioral deficits in an Alzheimer disease model. Nutr Neurosci. 2003 Jun;6(3):153-62.
9. Blodi BA. Nutritional supplements in the prevention of age-related macular degeneration. Insight. 2004 Jan;29(1):15-6.
10. Bell DR, Gochenaur K. Direct vasoactive and vasoprotective properties of anthocyanin-rich extracts. J Appl Physiol. 2006 Apr;100(4):1164-70.
11. Aviram M, Dornfeld L. Pomegranate juice consumption inhibits serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity and reduces systolic blood pressure. Atherosclerosis. 2001 Sep;158(1):195-8.
12. Valcheva-Kuzmanova S, Kuzmanov K, Mihova V, Krasnaliev I, Borisova P, Belcheva A. Antihyperlipidemic effect of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2007 Mar;62(1):19-24.
13. Andriambeloson E, Magnier C, Haan-Archipoff G, et al. Natural dietary polyphenolic compounds cause endotheliumdependent vasorelaxation in rat thoracic aorta. J Nutr. 1998 Dec;128(12):2324-33.
14. Devareddy L, Hooshmand S, Collins JK, et al. Blueberry prevents bone loss in ovariectomized rat model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. J Nutr Biochem. 2008 Mar 5.
