Eating strawberries and blueberries all year round can reduce the risk of a heart attack by more than 30%, say scientists from the UK, citing the results of their many years of research, which was attended by nurses from various hospitals in England.
According to experts, the main source of benefits of berries as a means of preventing heart attacks are the abundance of flavonoids contained in them - antioxidant compounds that prevent the occurrence of "traffic jams" in the arteries, as well as providing protection against a wide range of other diseases, including some types of cancer, hypertension and even dementia.
The total number of study participants was 93,600 women aged 25 to 42 years. All of them filled out special questionnaires regarding their nutrition and lifestyle, and then for more than 18 years they were under the supervision of experts who recorded every case of a heart attack among the participants. The main factors taken into account when summing up were age, blood pressure, the amount of coffee consumed, the presence of bad habits, physical activity, body weight and family history of the disease.
Scientists, comparing the data from the questionnaire with the health of the women filling them, found that those who had eaten strawberries and blueberries for several years at least 3 times a week were 32% less likely to suffer a heart attack. Even women who followed diets rich in fruits and vegetables, but avoiding strawberries and blueberries, were more likely to have a heart attack.
