The delicious summer berry that can transform your heart health

There are a number of different foods that can help improve your overall heart health. But one of the best? Blueberries.

In fact, studies show that blueberries can help control your blood pressure and even reduce plaque build-up in your arteries.

But how exactly do blueberries provide these powerful heart benefits? Let’s dive into the research…

Giving your blood vessels a healthy boost

Researchers tested a daily blueberry-infused drink against a placebo beverage. After 28 days they found these changes in the blueberry beverage group:

Blood pressure dropped by an average of 5 mmHg (the same level of improvement found in typical blood pressure drug use).
Blood vessel function improved just two hours after taking the first drink—and that improvement was sustained throughout the testing period.
Endothelium function improved. (The endothelium is the inner lining of your blood vessels.)

As one of the researchers put it, “The majority of the effects can be explained by anthocyanins.”

Anthocyanins are antioxidant compounds and pigments that give blueberries and other dark berries (strawberries, blackberries, etc.) their rich colors. And with summer on our doorstep, now is the perfect time to take advantage of all the benefits anthocyanins have to offer…

Getting your “daily dose” of blueberries

In his Ultimate Heart Protection Protocol, Dr. Fred Pescatore cites a recent investigation where scientists analyzed a dozen berry studies. Results confirmed that anthocyanins help balance blood pressure while also preventing plaque buildup in arteries.

And he adds, “The researchers also found that there seems to be a dose-response relationship with anthocyanins. In other words, the more an individual consumes, the better the effect on cardiovascular outcomes.”

To give an idea of what an effective “dose” of blueberries might be, Dr. Pescatore shares another study where a daily serving of just 7 ounces of blueberries per day for one month improved blood vessel function and reduces systolic blood pressure in healthy individuals.

One of the researchers summed up the results with this remarkable insight, “If the changes we saw in blood vessel function after eating blueberries every day could be sustained for a person’s whole life, it could reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease by up to 20 percent.”

So if you love a bowl of berries, go ahead and indulge. Dr. Pescatore also recommends adding a “big, decadent dollop of fresh whipped cream”—but only real whipped cream that’s naturally sweetened—not the plastic stuff that comes in tubs or spray cans.

And don’t confine berries to the dessert portion of your meals. For instance, Dr. Pescatore recommends increasing your blueberry intake by adding them to dishes you wouldn’t normally think of, such as salads, pan-seared salmon, or even omelets.

“Sounds odd,” he admits, “but throw in a spoonful of ricotta cheese and a sprinkling of blueberries and you’ve got yourself a breakfast that beats any plate of pancakes, hands down.”

And in a few months when berry season is over, you don’t have to go without. Dr. Pescatore has a plan you can use in the wintertime to get all the benefits of your daily dose of berries. You can read about that in his Ultimate Heart-Protection Protocol, along with many other dietary approaches that are proven to help you keep your heart spinning like a top.

Click here to learn more about this program that Dr. Pescatore has designed to help you avoid a lifetime dependency on powerful heart drugs that are high on hype and low on results. Or click here to enroll today.

SOURCES

“Circulating Anthocyanin Metabolites Mediate Vascular Benefits of Blueberries: Insights From Randomized Controlled Trials, Metabolomics, and Nutrigenomics” The Journals of Gerontology 2019; 74(7): 967-976. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glz047.

“The ‘blue’ in blueberries can help lower blood pressure” Science Daily, 2/20/19. (sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190220112211.htm)