Diets rich in Berry cut down Heart Attack risk by one third

Image source: mccun934 - cc

For those of you who enjoy eating berries - GOOD NEWS! Your risk of heart attack is reduced by one third.

What kind of berries you ask?



Strawberry, blueberry, cranberry, you-name-it-berry - pick your favorite and indulge!


More specifically, indulge in any food containing anthocyanin, the main ingredient behind this observed health benefit.


What, you have never heard of anthocyanin before?! What rock have you been living under??


Okay, I will admit I have not heard of it until recently either. Here is a little information about it from the wise Professor Wikipedia:

"Anthocyanins (also anthocyans; from Greek: ἀνθός (anthos) = flower + κυανός (kyanos) = blue) are water-soluble vacuolar pigments that may appear red, purple, or blue depending on the pH. They belong to a parent class of molecules called flavonoids synthesized via the phenylpropanoid pathway; they are odorless and nearly flavorless, contributing to taste as a moderately astringent sensation. Anthocyanins occur in all tissues of higher plants, including leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruits."

The Vaccinium plant species are rich in anthocyanin. This include:

• Blueberry, cranberry, and bilberry, black raspberry, red raspberry, and blackberry; blackcurrant, cherry, eggplant peel, black rice, Concord grape, muscadine grape, red cabbage, violet petals, and red-fleshed peaches.

Anthocyanins are less abundant in banana, asparagus, pea, fennel, pear, and potato
May be totally absent in certain cultivars of green gooseberries.



The association between anthocyanin and heart attack risk reduction is derived from the Nurse's Health Study 2, published in the journal Circulation 2013:

• 93,600 women
• Age 25-42 years old
• Validated food-frequency questionnaires collected 4 yearly
• Followed up for 18 years

RESULTS:

Inverse association between higher intake of anthocyanins and risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) was observed (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.49–0.96; P=0.03, highest versus lowest quintiles) after multivariate adjustment

• Presence or absence of hypertension did not significantly affect this relationship (hazard  ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval,0.50–0.97; P=0.03)

Combined intake of blueberries and strawberries (both rich in anthocyanin) showed a trend towards decreased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) in a comparison of those consuming >3 servings a week and those with lower intake

• hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% confidence interval, 0.40–1.08

Summary:

For women aged ~25-42 years old, high intake of food rich in anthocyanin is associated with reduction of heart attack risk by 32%.


Bear in mind that association does not necessarily mean a direct causal relationship, but it's promising. When examining the data from the study, it appears that women who reported higher intake in anthocyanin are also more likely to be the ones who: smoke less, be more active, and have lower body weight. Also less of them had high blood pressure and high cholesterol. If nothing else, this study certainly supported that healthy diet and physical activity is beneficial for lowering your risk of heart attack.