Blueberries' Cholesterol Lowering Effect

Wild Blueberries and Heart Health: The Cholesterol Lowering Superfood

NEWSFLASH: Cholesterol Lowering (But Modest and Publicity-Shy) Blueberry Saves Our Arteries and then says, "Gosh, I was just doing my job, ma'am..."

Not content with merely having anti-cancer properties, the heroic and tasty blueberry also promotes our health by fighting "bad" LDL fat build-up.

The antioxidants anthocyanin and resveratrol both play a role in this anti-cholesterol effect.

Anthocyanin improves the elasticity of artery walls and increases capillary strength. This discourages blood clots, and therefore heart attacks. Resveratrol also has beneficial properties.

But pterostilbene is the compound getting the scientists in a tizz. It has characteristics in common with resveratrol, but is the potentially more powerful agent. In the lab, pterostilbene has been found to work like the prescription drug ciprofibrate, which is used to fight cholesterol build up.

Ciprofibrate has some unpleasant side-effects (nausea and muscle pain) which pterostilbene doesn't inflict. And as an added bonus, pterostilbene is believed to have anti-cancer and blood sugar lowering benefits as well.

At the moment scientists aren't sure what quantity of pterostilbene is needed to have a beneficial affect on human "bad fat" levels (they're still on animal trials). And there is much talk of developing the compound as a "nutraceutical." A pill, in other words.

Why not just eat a handful of blueberries a day? Surely it's better to eat the whole food when you can. Which would you rather have: blueberries or a pill with your oatmeal in the morning? I know which one I'd pick.