Blueberries alleviate intestinal diseases--study
POSTED February 10, 2010 - 17:19 | POSTED BY Neharika Sabharwal
Last edited by Harpreet Bhagrath on February 10, 2010 - 17:38
This defense is enhanced if the blueberries are eaten along with probiotic yoghurt or health promoting bacteria.
Camilla Branning, a nutritionist, and Asa Hakansson, doctoral candidate in applied nutrition and food chemistry at Lund University, who authored the study stated, “In recent years the research world has been realizing that our health is governed to a great extent by what happens in our large intestine.”
In a bid to determine whether different types of dietary fiber and probiotics (e.g., lactobacillus and bifidobacteria) could thwart the risk of intestinal inflammation and colorectal cancer, the researchers compared diets of blueberry husks, rye bran, and oat bran both with and without the addition of probiotic bacteria.
Positive effects of blueberries with probiotics
The researchers found that the effect of blueberries itself was favorable compared with both rye bran and oat bran. They further discovered that probiotics helped boost the defense mechanism of blueberries.
The fruit, along with probiotics, protects the liver and helps lower bacteria that generate inflammation in the intestinal tract while stimulating the health-promoting bacteria (e.g., lactobacillus).
In addition, the combination of the two enhances the immune system and provides a source of energy for intestinal cells.
Clarifying the influence of blueberries, Camilla Branning stated, "A further explanation for the extremely positive effect of blueberries may be that the blueberry fiber are not degraded to such a high degree in the large intestine.
“This means that inflammation-inducing substances do not come into contact with the mucous lining of the intestine but are embedded in the fiber instead. Then these substances are transported out of body together with the faeces."
A little about ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The disease usually begins in the rectal area and may eventually extend through the entire large intestine.
The cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown, but people who suffer from the ailment are at an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer.
The disease causes chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract and the symptoms include diarrhea, rectal bleeding, weight loss, abdominal cramps, and pain.
It may affect any age group, although there are peaks at ages 15-30 and then again at ages 50-70.
