Strawberries a tasty treatment for bad cholesterol levels

Berries are among the healthiest fruits a person can consume, with a small new study adding to the strawberry's long list of benefits. Recently a group of volunteers ate half a kilo of strawberries a day for a month to determine whether the berry "altered their blood parameters in any way." At the end of this unusual treatment, their levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly reduced, according to the analyses conducted by Italian and Spanish scientists. Several studies had already demonstrated the antioxidant capacity of strawberries, but now researchers conducted an analysis that revealed that these fruits also help to reduce cholesterol.

The study
The researchers recruited 23 healthy volunteers with an average age of 27 to participate in their study. All participants had an initial 10 day period with no strawberries and a diet that was low in polyphenol. This was followed by 30 days of strawberries supplementation (500 grams per day) to their habitual diet, and then a further 15 days of washout where they avoided strawberries again.

The results
Results were published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry and showed that while good cholesterol levels remained the same, low-density lipoproteins (LDL or bad cholesterol) and the quantity of triglycerides fell to 8.78%, 13.72% and 20.8%, respectively.
Other blood parameters also improved following the study's cessation, including general plasma lipid profile, antioxidant biomarkers such as vitamin C, antihemolytic defences and platelet function. These parameters returned to their initial levels 15 days after the experiment ended.

Antioxidant capacity
The researchers could cite no direct evidence about which compounds in strawberries are behind their beneficial effects, "but all the signs and epidemiological studies point towards anthocyanins, the vegetable pigments that afford them their red color."
Strawberries rank second among the top ten fruits in antioxidant capacity. They’re rich in groups of plant chemicals called flavonoids, which include substances such as anthocyanins. These plant pigments (also called phytochemicals) may help reduce the damage by free radicals that contributes to heart disease. In particular, anthocyanins can help dilate arteries and prevent plaque buildup among other cardiovascular benefits.

Why strawberries are so good for your health
The research team also confirmed the findings of several other studies on strawberries, including their ability to protect against ultraviolet radiation, reduce damage of alcohol on gastric mucosa, strengthen red blood cells and improve blood's antioxidant capacity.

A 2013 study on the benefits of strawberries and blueberries by the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and University of Maryland Baltimore County found the berries improves brain function in a 30-day experiment on rats.

Also in 2013, a Harvard University study found women can reduce their risk of heart attack by consuming strawberries and blueberries due to the berries' anthocyanin content.

Italian and Spanish scientists plan to publish another study in the journal Food Chemistry showing how consuming strawberries increases blood's antioxidant function. The study will be published later this year.

Meanwhile, you can improve your health sipping this chilled soup where sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb are whirled together. You can serve it as a starter for an early-summer supper.

Chilled strawberry-rhubarb soup recipe

Makes: 4 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each / Active Time: 25 minutes / Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups 1/2-inch pieces rhubarb, fresh or frozen
• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil or mint, plus more for garnish
• freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
Bring rhubarb and 3 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Cook until the rhubarb is very soft and broken down, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Put a couple inches of ice water in a large bowl and set the bowl with the rhubarb in it to help cool it quickly. (If you aren’t in a hurry, you can skip the ice-water bath.) Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until cool, at least 20 minutes.
Transfer the rhubarb to a blender. Add strawberries, sugar and salt; blend until smooth. Return to the bowl and stir in 1/3 cup basil (or mint). Serve sprinkled with more herbs and a generous grinding of pepper.Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the soup (without basil or mint) for up to 1 day. Stir in herbs just before serving.

Nutrition facts - Per serving: 92 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrates; 13 g added sugars; 2 g protein; 3 g fiber; 86 mg sodium; 427 mg potassium. Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (72% daily value).

Sources: http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/, http://www.sciencedaily.com/, http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/, http://www.eatingwell.com/