A study just released in Circulation researchers found that women who ate more than three servings of blueberries and strawberries weekly had a lower risk of heart disease as compared to women who did not. “Anthocyanins are antioxidants, substances found in plants that protect and repair cells from damage. Anthocyanins provide the red, blue, and purple colors found in strawberries, blueberries, and other fruits and vegetables.”[1] The study followed 93,000 women for 18 years. The women were 24 to 42 years of age when they joined the study.  The study confirms that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is linked to lower heart disease.  Other factors which might have influenced the study outcome was that the women who ate the berries also had a tendency not to smoke and they were more likely to exercise.

While the study did focus on blueberries and strawberries there are other fruits and vegetables that are high in anyhocyanins which include cherries, raspberries, plums, black currants, and egg plant.  The conclusion reached by the researchers was that, “a high intake of anthocyanins may reduce MI risk in predominantly young women.”[2]