• April 20, 2024

Researchers Polytechnic University of the Marche (UNIVPM) of Italy, in collaboration with the universities of Salamanca and Granada, have carried out an analysis that reveals the effectiveness of these fruits as reducers of the indices of cholesterol in the blood.

The research consisted of the addition of 500 g of strawberries to the daily diet of 23 volunteers, completely healthy, for a month. And the results now published by the prestigious Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry They have been sensational, according to the researchers.

The total amount of cholesterol , the levels of lipoproteins low density (LDL or cholesterol bad) and the amount of triglycerides they were reduced by 8.78%, 13.72% and 20.80% respectively. The high density lipoprotein (HDL or cholesterol good) remained unchanged.

Positive results

These were not the only positive results. The high consumption of strawberries also improved ostensibly other parameters indicating levels of organic health, such as the general profile of the lipids in the plasma, the biomarkers antioxidants , antihemolytic defenses and platelet function.

The publication clarifies that all the parameters returned to the levels prior to the beginning of the "treatment" based on strawberries, 15 days after having abandoned the diet .

"For the first time, a study is published that supports a protective role of the bioactive compounds of strawberries against recognized markers and risk factors. cardiovascular diseases ", he pointed Sinc Maurizio Battino , director of the team that carried out the investigation.

On the other hand, the researchers clarify that without a doubt the results are very encouraging, but that there is still no direct evidence on which compounds of this fruit are responsible for their beneficial effects.

Anthocyanins? Although "all indications and epidemiological studies point to anthocyanins, the plant pigments that give them their red color", adds Battino .

Finally, the study also showed that the ingestion of strawberries protects against ultraviolet radiation reduces the damage of alcohol consumption in the gastric mucosa , strengthens the erythrocytes or Red blood cells and improve the ability antioxidant of the blood.