Blueberries Lower High Cholesterol and Boost Cardiovascular Health

Tuesday, March 17, 2009 by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com (See all articles...) Tags: blueberries, health news, Natural News

(NaturalNews) How good are blueberries at lowering high cholesterol and protecting cardiovascular health? This article compiles a collection of quotes and statements about blueberries from doctors, authors and health experts.

Learn about anthocyanosides and the natural medicine found in blueberries and other types of berries. You'll learn how these berries not only protect your cardiovascular health, but they also boost brain health and protect your entire nervous system.

Berries are truly medicine from Mother Nature, and they support human health in so many ways that if berries were drugs, they would be called "miracle drugs."

The best way to get berries, of course, is to eat them fresh (like I do in Ecuador). But if you can't get them fresh, here are two sources I recommend (I have no financial relationship with any of these companies):

www.FruitFast.com - they make outstanding concentrated liquids and food bars with cherry, blueberry, pomegranate and other superfruits. This is my favorite source for fruit concentrates. Read my review here: https://www.naturalnews.com/023645.html

www.MorFoods.com - They make the ever-popular "Bear Fruit Bars" which are concentrated organic fruit bars (way better than Larabar, which sold out to the big food companies). Read my review here: https://www.naturalnews.com/Review_400018_fru...

If you're looking for fruit concentrates in capsules, check them out at Vitacost: http://www.vitacost.com/NSI-Tart-Cherry-Extr...

Here's the collection of quotes from other sources:

Authors' Quotes on Blueberries and Cholesterol

Below, you'll find selected quotes from noted authors on the subject of Blueberries and Cholesterol. Feel free to quote these in your own work provided you give proper credit to both the original author quoted here and this NaturalNews page.

Recently, doctors in Paris and Budapest isolated chemicals in blueberries called anthrocyanosides. In tests on rabbits, they found that these chemicals were effective in reducing the damage caused to brain blood vessels from a high-cholesterol diet. The anthrocyanosides helped block cholesterol from penetrating into the brain blood vessels. And since proper blood flow to the brain is essential for mental energy and health, it looks like blueberries may very well help improve brain function.
- Natural Health Secrets From Around the World by Glenn W. Geelhoed, M.D. and Jean Barilla, M.S.
- Available on Amazon.com

A collaborative team of scientists at the University of Paris and the Semmelweis Medical University in Budapest extracted anthocyanosides from blueberries and injected them in rabbits eating a high cholesterol diet. The blueberry chemicals counteracted some of the ill effects of the atherosclerosis brought on by the high cholesterol diet. Rabbits fed high cholesterol plus blueberry chemicals had less severe calcium-fat deposits in their aortas and less-diseased small blood vessels in the brain than animals fed only cholesterol.
- The Food Pharmacy: Dramatic New Evidence That Food Is Your Best Medicine by Jean Carper
- Available on Amazon.com

Since arteriosclerosis is worsened by high cholesterol levels, which contribute to the formation of dangerous blood clots, you should consider using the herbs recommended in "Cholesterol Reduction" and "Blood Clots." For example, compounds called anthocyanidins, which give foods such as bilberries, blueberries, grapes, hawthorn berries and cherries their bright coloring, reduce your chances of developing arteriosclerosis by slowing down both cholesterol buildup and the blood's tendency to clot.
- Herbs for Health and Healing by Kathi Keville
- Available on Amazon.com

We know that high-fiber foods, and the pectin found in apples, will lower cholesterol. Blueberries are very good at this, too. Hot grain cereals such as oats, barley, and buckwheat are also good. Therefore, having some apples and blueberries in your cereal is exceptionally helpful. Other anticholesterol foods are polyunsaturated oils (in small amounts only!) and linoleic oils from cold fish (but do not eat shellfish), walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and nut butters.
- Gary Null's Power Aging by Gary Null
- Available on Amazon.com

Blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity, making them highly protective for the cardiovascular system. They contain pterostilbene, which lowers cholesterol, and anthocyanins, which improve vision and brain function and guard against macular degeneration. The ellagic acid in them has anticancer activity.
- The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
- Available on Amazon.com

My choice for the top foods for cholesterol are blueberries (1 pint a day), garlic, ginger, onions and anything with omega-3 oils such as chia seeds, flax seeds, salmon or oily fish. On the supplement side, I recommend cod liver oil, policosinol, macadamia nut oil and medicinal mushrooms like Reishi and Shiitake. And if you really need a boost from supplements, try red yeast rice. In addition to good nutrition, achieving healthy cholesterol levels also requires avoiding all dairy products (milk, cheese, etc.) except, perhaps, raw organic milk.
- Natural Health Solutions by Mike Adams
- Available on Amazon.com

It's simple: blueberries, garlic and lots of superfoods. Nutrition is the best medicine in the world. Plus, my medical bills are zero, I have no side effects, and I don't need a doctor's permission to treat myself with blueberries. The medicine found in everyday foods flatly makes statin drugs obsolete. If the FDA or conventional medicine had any remaining ethics whatsoever, you would have already been told this fact. But, alas, there's no money in teaching people to eat healthy and treat high cholesterol with nature's medicines.
- Natural Health Solutions by Mike Adams
- Available on Amazon.com

They also decrease tumor growth; reduce elevated blood cholesterol, and prevent oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol and blood cell clumping; enhance the activity of vitamin C; strengthen collagen (the main protein in skin and other tissues, including blood vessel walls); improve peripheral circulation; and help safeguard eyesight, especially in individuals with diabetic retinopathy. Some sorghum varieties have been found to contain as high or even higher levels of anthocyanins than blueberries, a highly touted source of these protective plant compounds.
- The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com

A compound found in both cranberries and blueberries, called Pterostilbene, is crucial for the metabolism of lipids, including cholesterol. Blueberries are packed with antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanidins which neutralize free radicals. Anthocyanins improve the integrity of the veins and entire vascular system.
Where to buy it: At the grocery store-fresh, dried, frozen or as a juice (with little to no sugar added) are all good sources.
- The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com

Blueberries contain powerful cholesterol medicines that lower LDL cholesterol even better than drugs, without the risk of side effects. These phytonutrients are found in the skin of the blueberry, by the way, and they are called anthocyanins (another phytonutrient).
- Natural Health Solutions by Mike Adams
- Available on Amazon.com

Pectin, a soluble form of fiber found in apples, blueberries, and grapefruit, particularly helps reduce cholesterol. If you want to add more fiber, take 1 teaspoon a day of psyllium with 8 ounces of water or juice. Psyllium is the active ingredient in Metamucil, but the latter also has sugar, preservatives, and food colorings. Stick to the plain psyllium found in your health food store it's cheaper, too. Make olive oil and fish oil your predominant dietary fats. They both can actually lower LDL cholesterol. However, don't entirely neglect the other fats: Keep your nutrition in balance.
- Bottom Line's Prescription Alternatives by Earl L. Mindell, RPh, PhD with Virginia Hopkins, MA
- Available on Amazon.com

Other good sources include blackberries, black chokeberries, boysenberries, black currants, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, red grapes and red raspberries. I suspect that all of these fruits might help prevent and treat angina. Garlic (Allium sativum) and onion (A. cepa) Both of these spicy herbs help treat heart disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure and by preventing formation of the blood clots that trigger heart attack. According to one study, munching one clove of garlic daily cuts cholesterol by 9 percent.
- The Green Pharmacy: New Discoveries in Herbal Remedies for Common Diseases and Conditions from the World's Foremost Authority on Healing Herbs by James A. Duke, Ph.D.
- Available on Amazon.com

Anthocynanins are the reddish-blue pigments found in cherries, cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, red currants, and red cabbage. There are over 150 different anthocyanins in the plant world. They inhibit cholesterol synthesis by limiting the production of HMG-COA reductase, a precursor to cholesterol. This may make anthocyanins protective against both cancer and heart disease. Ascorbic acid is the plant form of vitamin C. It is found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, most notably citrus fruits and their juices, broccoli, green pepper, and tomatoes.
- Foods That Fight Disease: A Simple Guide to Using and Understanding Phytonutrients to Protect and Enhance Your Health by Laurie Deutsch Mozian, M.S., R.D.
- Available on Amazon.com

Blueberries: High in pectin, which can help lower cholesterol, blueberries contain antioxidants which may help prevent different forms of cancer as well as increase resistance to infections. Cranberryjuice: Contains a component that has a "Teflon effect" on E. coli bacteria, preventing it from sticking to the endothelial cells of the urinary tract, which may help prevent urinary tract infections. Garlic. Diallyl sulfide (DAS), a component of garlic oil, may deactivate carcinogens and help prevent the growth of cancerous tumors.
- Dr. Earl Mindell's Unsafe at Any Meal: How to Avoid Hidden Toxins in Your Food by Earl Mindell and Hester Mundis
- Available on Amazon.com

With a plethora of recent research, the specific healing properties of pecans, almonds, grapes, cranberries, blueberries, kiwi, pomegranates, mushrooms, broccoli, cabbage, cinnamon, and a whole host of other popular foods have been revealed not just as anecdotal chatter but rather as documented medical facts. According to a 2001 study published in the Journal of Nutrition, eating a handful of pecans daily reduces cholesterol and may be a viable alternative to using cholesterol reducing drugs.
- Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
- Available on Amazon.com

The stronger concentrated bilberry extracts are needed with more serious diseases such as MS and macular degeneration, unless you love to eat blueberries. The best thing about them is that, like raspberries and blackberries, they contain less sugar than most other fruits. The antioxidant action of bilberry extracts can help prevent the problems caused by elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol levels (Laplaud et al., 1997). Other reported benefits based upon pharmacological studies include wound healing, antiulcer action (Martin A et al).
- The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese, Western, and Ayurvedic Herbal Treatments by Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay.
- Available on Amazon.com

Suffer from high cholesterol? Eat blueberries. At risk for breast cancer? Drink green tea. These are all examples of limited, allopathic thinking. It's sometimes called "green allopathy" because it uses natural medicine in an allopathic way. But if you wish to truly be healthy, you must move beyond allopathic thinking and understand the Unified Theory of Health.
All those different diseases have the same common causes.
Just two or three significant underlying physiological or biochemical problems, you see, can manifest themselves in a hundred different ways, depending on circumstances.
- Natural Health Solutions by Mike Adams
- Available on Amazon.com

Apricots, blackberries, black cherries, blueberries, cranberries, dates, figs, gooseberries, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, prunes. Eat foods low in cholesterol and fat, as well as high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, for healthy circulation. If arteries lose their elasticity, harden, and have calcium deposits, it is arteriosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a similar condition except that the deposits are fatty substances. One-quarter of deaths in the U.S. occur from heart attacks and most are attributed to these causes.
- Prescription for Dietary Wellness: Using Foods to Heal by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
- Available on Amazon.com

Blueberries dramatically slows impairments in motor coordination and memory that are the usual accompaniments of aging. What's more, they may help lower blood cholesterol and promote urinary health. Bilberries, a close European cousin of the blueberry, have been shown to promote eye health and protect against glaucoma and cataract progression.
- The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
- Available on Amazon.com

Blueberries: Contain disease-fighting, age-proofing antioxidants and anticancer properties. They help lower cholesterol levels, help prevent short-term memory loss, and help promote weight control. Wild salmon: One of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce heart disease and inflammatory conditions. Rich in carotenoids, vitamins B, A, and D; good for calcium absorption. Pomegranate: Rich in potassium and vitamin C, and has three times the antioxidants of red wine and green tea.
- The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
- Available on Amazon.com

Good fruits to include are apples and blueberries, because of their gel-forming fibers. As these foods travel through the intestines, they provide a sense of fullness, which signals the brain to turn off its hunger appestat. Additionally, sea vegetables, such as kelp, nourish the thyroid, which in turn keeps the metabolism running smoothly. Drinking plenty of pure water is important as well. Dieters should be wary of the no-fat craze, as avoiding fats completely can be dangerous. Each cell in our body is lined with cholesterol or fat.
- The Complete Encyclopedia of Natural Healing: A Comprehensive A-Z Listing of Common and Chronic Illnesses and Their Proven Natural Treatments by Gary Null, Ph.D.
- Available on Amazon.com

Foods that are high in flavonoids include wine that is made from red grapes, and berries (such as blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries). Both are very good for keeping the heart healthy. The cholesterol-reducing agents found in herbs in the mucus-removing group help prevent vessel clogging. Tonic herbs found in the immune group help keep the heart muscle energized. Any of the herbs from the blood-nourishing group will strengthen the heart, because the blood nourishes all the muscles, including the heart muscle.
- The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese, Western, and Ayurvedic Herbal Treatments by Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay.
- Available on Amazon.com

Apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, and blueberries are some of the fruits and berries also loaded avocado slices and with antioxidants. Enjoy them on mandarin oranges on cereal, in salads, or by themselves a bed of greens. Top it as snacks. When possible, eat the off with a few slivered skins of fruits and vegetables, too. almonds and a low-fat vinaigrette dressing. The extra fiber adds even more protection for your brain by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, both linked to Alzheimer's.
- Unleash the Inner Healing Power of Foods by The Editors of FC&A
- Available on Amazon.com

Some of the best sources are in seasonal fruits such as grapes, blueberries, cherries, and plums. The proanthocyanidins are found mainly in the peels, skins, or seeds. Food processing and storage will reduce bioavailability. PCO selectively binds to the connective tissue of joints, preventing swelling, helping heal damaged tissue, and lessening pain. PCO has also been shown to prevent the stickiness of blood platelets that can lead to blood clots and strokes. Patients taking PCO of grape seed extract have reported reduced blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Gary Null's Power Aging by Gary Null
- Available on Amazon.com

The exception to the rule is blueberries, which can be stored for about 5 days or so. A 10 percent higher free-radical-scavenging activity for red grapefruit. This was followed by a human trial of postoperative bypass patients with high triglyceride levels who were put on a very low-fat diet (the standard for fighting heart disease), but one group was given red or white grapefruit every day for 30 days. The grapefruit eaters, in general, had lower total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.
- Food Synergy: Unleash Hundreds of Powerful Healing Food Combinations to Fight Disease and Live Well by Elaine Magee
- Available on Amazon.com

A decade ago, we knew much less about phytochemicals, such as the powerful antioxidant lycopene (a red carotenoid found mainly in tomatoes), anthocyanins (potent antioxidants that give berries their deep blue color), and pterostilbene (which appears to turn on a switch in cells that breaks down fat and cholesterol) in blueberries and two grape varieties Gamay and Pinot.
- Food Synergy: Unleash Hundreds of Powerful Healing Food Combinations to Fight Disease and Live Well by Elaine Magee
- Available on Amazon.com

Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries are loaded with antioxidants and with powerful healthful plant compounds called proanthocyanidins protective against all degenerative diseases, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Plus they have a low glycemic index. Raw almond butter: Loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, which lower blood lipids (e.g., cholesterol). Also loaded with fiber and vitamins and minerals, in particular magnesium and vitamin B6 (two nutrients that many are people deficient in). Also an excellent source of vitamin E. cell membranes.
- The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
- Available on Amazon.com