All About Heart: Blueberry's Fruit and Leaves
There is a good reason why we continue on to talk about the Phyto Power - the research on blueberries (and in this article, their leaves!) is too impressive and too good to miss out.
In this recent 2021 scientific review byTundis et al., Vaccinium L. berries and their leaves are evaluated for their many therapeutic properties.
What caught my eye is the different and very encouraging heart health enhancing properties of blueberries and their leaves. It goes to show how native Alaskans knew what they were doing for centuries with their blueberries - using the leaves and fruit to heal and restore health.
Tundis and her team shows significant results with blueberries (and leaves): From diabetes (Cutler et al., 2018) to inducing "a regression of atherosclerotic plaques in arteries" (Wu et al., 2019), to improving endothelial function (for vascular relaxation and contraction), which is important for preventing strokes (cutler et al., 2018). And so much more!
Abstract
The genus Vaccinium L. (Ericaceae) includes more than 450 species, which mainly grow in cooler areas of the northern hemisphere. Vaccinium species have been used in traditional medicine of different cultures and the berries are widely consumed as food. Indeed, Vaccinium supplement-based herbal medicine and functional food, mainly from V. myrtillus [billberry] and V. macrocarpon [cranberry], are used in Europe and North America. Biological studies support traditional uses since, for many Vaccinium components, important biological functions have been described, including antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and endothelium protective activities. Vaccinium components, such as polyphenols, anthocyanins and flavonoids, are widely recognized as modulators of cellular pathways involved in pathological conditions, thus indicating that Vaccinium may be an important source of bioactive molecules. This review aims to better describe the bioactivity of Vaccinium species, focusing on anti-inflammatory and endothelial protective cellular pathways, modulated by their components, to better understand their importance for public health. Article
The Photo Power has Four species of blueberries from the wilds of Alaska! It has a 'handful' of blueberries. We suggest 2 capsules a day.
References:
- Curtis, P. J., Van Der Velpen, V., Berends, L., Jennings, A., Feelisch, M., Umpleby, A. M., ... & Cassidy, A. (2019). Blueberries improve biomarkers of cardiometabolic function in participants with metabolic syndrome—results from a 6-month, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 109(6), 1535-1545.
- Cutler, B. R., Gholami, S., Chua, J. S., Kuberan, B., & Babu, P. V. A. (2018). Blueberry metabolites restore cell surface glycosaminoglycans and attenuate endothelial inflammation in diabetic human aortic endothelial cells. International journal of cardiology, 261, 155-158.
- Stull, A. J., Cash, K. C., Champagne, C. M., Gupta, A. K., Boston, R., Beyl, R. A., ... & Cefalu, W. T. (2015). Blueberries improve endothelial function, but not blood pressure, in adults with metabolic syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Nutrients, 7(6), 4107-4123.
- Tundis, R., Tenuta, M. C., Loizzo, M. R., Bonesi, M., Finetti, F., Trabalzini, L., & Deguin, B. (2021). Vaccinium species (Ericaceae): From chemical composition to bio-functional activities. Applied Sciences, 11(12), 5655. Article
- Wu, X., Kang, J., Xie, C., Burris, R., Ferguson, M. E., Badger, T. M., & Nagarajan, S. (2010). Dietary blueberries attenuate atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice by upregulating antioxidant enzyme expression. The Journal of nutrition, 140(9), 1628-1632.
Sincerely yours,
Dohrea
We have developed our products based on scientific research and/or the practical experience of many healthcare practitioners. There is a growing body of literature on food based nutrition and supplements and their application in support of our health. Please use our products under the advisement of your doctor.
Green Facts:
And for brain health: Tran, P. H., & Tran, T. T. (2021). Blueberry supplementation in neuronal health and protective technologies for efficient delivery of blueberry anthocyanins. Biomolecules, 11(1), 102. Article |
©2005 - 2021 BioImmersion Inc. All Rights Reserved
|