Red fruits may reduce risk of infarction in women

A study published Jan. 14 in the Circulation , American Heart Association , found that eating strawberries and blueberries three times per day. may decrease the risk of stroke and women. Researchers at Harvard University's School of Public Health in the United States and the University of East Anglia in England have conducted the study.

Scientists follow 93,600 women aged 25-42 who completed questionnaires about their eating habits every four years, for 18 years. During this period, 405 heart attacks occurred in the group that participated in the study. Women who consumed more red fruits had a 32 percent reduction in their risk of having a heart attack compared with women who ate those fruits once a month or less - even those who ate a diet rich in other fruits and vegetables. The explanation for this effect would be the large amount of flavonoids present in strawberries and blueberries that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory power. A type of flavonoid called autocyanin (a red, purple, and blue color pigment) may help dilate the arteries and reduce the plaque formation responsible for controlling blood flow, protecting the heart.

For the authors, this result shows that simple changes in diet can have a significant impact on disease prevention. The research, however, does not take into account other risk factors, such as age, blood pressure, family history of heart attack, body mass index (BMI), exercise and smoking.

Reap the benefits of red fruits

Antioxidants in fruits like strawberry, blackberry, raspberry and blueberry go far beyond the prevention of heart attacks. In addition to the flavonoids, blackberry and raspberry have a substance called ellagic acid that, according to nutritionist José Fernando Durigan, has antimutagenic action, inhibiting the appearance of cancerous tumors. According to the nutritionist, experiments have shown that anthocyanins also induce cancer cells to self-destruct.

Improved vision

Blueberry and raspberry carry a carotenoid class nutrient called lutein, which helps maintain good vision. "Anthocyanins, along with lutein, also improve visual functions," says nutritionist Mayumi Shima of the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo.

Intestinal Flora

Among the fibers present in red fruits we can highlight the pectins . "This substance has the power to regulate intestinal peristalsis, helping the digestive muscles to work better and maximizing the absorption of water-soluble vitamins by our body," explains the nutritionist. Among these vitamins are C, B1, B2, B6 and B12.

Stimulate memory

A study by the Salk Institute for Biological Studies

in California found that fisetin, flavonoid present in these berries, especially strawberries, stimulates the area of ​​the brain responsible for long-term memory and protects it from degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis. According to the researchers, fisetin induces the maturation of neural cells, preventing them from dying and helping to fix new connections between them.

Control hypertension

A research published in the

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition proved that anthocyanin present in this class is able to provide protection against hypertension. The team of scientists studied 134,000 women and 47,000 men over a period of 14 years. When researchers looked at the relationship between the individual, their source of flavonoids and the incidence of hypertension, they found that those who ate at least a portion of the fruit per week reduced their risk of developing the disease by 10 percent.Include these berries in the diet All these fruits can be used as ingredients for a myriad of recipes, from beverages to jams and pies. To make the most of them, however, the ideal is that they be ingested "in natura". Using fruits as ingredients for other recipes can either focus some nutritional elements, such as phenols, or destroy others, such as water-soluble vitamins, especially vitamin C.

Eat a hearty breakfast

If you are in the habit of leaving home running without eating anything, stop already with this craze! The first meal of the day is so important that it pays to wake up ten minutes early to do it. After hours without food, the body needs to replenish energy as soon as it wakes up. "Ocafé in the morning causes our metabolism to work properly again, because at night it is slow and without energy," says nutritionist Daniela Jobst.

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5 Tips for using the microwave in a safer and healthier way

In theory, the best way to cook and heat the food is on the stove. In practice, that's not the way it is, and at the time of starvation, we use the microwave to warm up and even prepare some food. As practical as using the microwave, it can bring some and also reduce the nutritional quality of food. "In the microwave, I have no control over the temperature as I have on the stove.

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