Feast on a very berry Christmas! Counter festive eating with fat-burning bilberries
TOO much high-fat, rich food over the festive period can take its toll on even the most health conscious of us.
Bilberries control blood pressure and inflammation
But help could be at hand from a popular Nordic foodstuff.
Bilberries appear to counter the adverse effects of a high-fat diet, researchers have found.
The berries also offer benefits for controlling blood pressure and inflammatory responses, according to the study by scientists at the University of Eastern Finland.
Inflammation and high blood pressure are often associated with obesity-related diseases.
The study, published in PLOS ONE, focused on the health effects of bilberries on mice fed a high-fat diet over a three-month period.
Bilberries have long been a staple of the Nordic diet and traditional folk wisdom endows them with several health benefits.
The positive impact of the fruits is thought to be explained by polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, the levels of which are significantly higher in bilberries than in commercially cultivated blueberries.