(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Want to boost your health? Choke down a serving of
chokeberries!
The bright red and deep purple berries have been used by Native Americans for
centuries. But now, the chokeberry can be found in the form of dietary
supplements in local pharmacies and health food stores.
Scientists think chokeberries have so many health benefits because of their
unusually high number of chemical compounds called anthocyanins. The
anthocyanins function as antioxidants, and when we eat them they protect our
bodies from a variety of damaging situations, including exposure to pollution.
Anthocyanins also have a potent anti-inflammatory effect, improve blood sugar
and the function of insulin.
Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture studied the effects of
chokeberry extracts on pre-diabetic rats. They found rats that were given the
chokeberry extract weighed less, had a lower percentage of body fat, lower blood
glucose and reduced levels of plasma triglycerides, cholesterol and low-density
lipoprotein. This could make chokeberries an important component in the
treatment of diabetes.
Authors of the study believe this "provides evidence that the chokeberry extract
inhibits weight gain in insulin-resistant animals and that it modulates multiple
genes associated with adipose tissue growth, blood glucose regulation, and
inflammatory pathways."
Source: Experimental Biology meeting, April 25, 2010, Anaheim, Calif.
