Daily consumption of blueberries reduces risk of cardiovascular disease by 15%: study

London: Eating a cup of blueberries daily reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) up to 15%, according to a study. The findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggest that blueberries and other berries should be included in diets to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

"The metabolic syndrome dramatically increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, and statins and other medications are often prescribed to control this increase," said the lead author. study, Aedin Cbadidy, professor at the University of East Anglia in Britain.

The researchers investigated whether blueberry consumption had an effect on the metabolic syndrome – a disease affecting 1/3 of westernized adults, which includes at least three of the following risk factors: hypertension, high blood sugar, excess fat around the waist , low levels of "good cholesterol" and high levels of triglycerides.

For this study, researchers studied the effects of daily blueberry consumption on 138 overweight and obese individuals (aged 50 to 75 years) with metabolic syndrome.

"We found that consuming one cup of blueberries a day resulted in lasting improvements in vascular function and arterial stiffness – a difference sufficient to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 12 to 15 percent," said Peter Curtis, co-author. of the study.