Blueberries may lower cholesterol. New-Medical.net reported new research from the U. S. Department of Agriculture which shows that blueberries may lower cholesterol as effectively as a commercial drug and have potentially fewer adverse side effects.
A compound called pterostilbene found in blueberries, contain similar cancer chemopreventative properties to those found in resveratrol, a compound that is found in grapes.
It is the compound pterostilbene that has the potential to be developed into a nutraceutical for lowering cholesterol.
The laboratory study used rat liver cells. The experiment exposed four compounds from the blueberries to the cells. Pterostilbene showed a high potency for activating the cells receptor which plays a part in reducing cholesterol and other lipids.
Until the study is done on humans, the research does not state how many blueberries humans would have to eat to lower their cholesterol. Nonetheless, other benefits from the rich antioxidant fruit are:
- Anti-Aging
- Protection Against Cancer
- Protection Against Heart Disease
- Prevent Obesity
- Memory Booster
