Strawberries may help lower cholesterol

CONSUMPTION of anthocyanin-rich foods such as strawberries may help reduce cholesterol and other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, according to a new study published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Researchers at Oklahoma State University conducted a 12-week study with a group of 60 randomly selected overweight adults. They were asked to consume a high and low daily dose equivalent to 500g and 250g, respectively, of a beverage made with freeze-dried strawberries, or a control beverage.

The study, the first 12-week experiment to report the total and LDL cholesterol-lowering effects of a higher amount of strawberries in obese adults, revealed high-dose strawberry supplements were effective in significantly reducing total and LDL cholesterol levels. Additionally, both low- and high-dose supplements were effective in decreasing lipid peroxidation compared with the control groups.

Researchers suggest a strawberry-supplemented diet may be of clinical significance as a nutritional strategy to help reduce cardiovascular disease risks.

Click here for the published study.