A recent clinical trial conducted by King’s College in London has found that consuming cranberries daily for a month can boost cardiovascular function in men.
Published in the journal ‘Food & Function’, the study was conducted on 45 healthy men who consumed 9 grams of whole cranberry powder (equivalent to 110 grams of fresh cranberries) or a placebo for a month.
The men who consumed cranberries displayed a remarkable improvement in low-mediated dilation (FMD), a strong predictor of blood vessel and heart function. FMD can also predict the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
“The increases in polyphenols and metabolites in the bloodstream and the related improvements in flow-mediated dilation after cranberry consumption emphasize the important role cranberries may play in cardiovascular disease prevention,” said Dr. Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, senior author of the study and senior lecturer at the Department of Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London.
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“The fact that these improvements in cardiovascular health were seen with a number of cranberries that can be reasonably consumed daily makes cranberry an important fruit in the prevention of cardiovascular disease for the general public,” he added.
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After a pilot study, the main study observed a significant improvement in FMD merely two hours after consuming whole cranberry freeze-dried powder for the first time. After a month of regular consumption, chronic health benefits were observed in participants of the study.
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“Our findings provide solid evidence that cranberries can significantly affect vascular health even in people with low cardiovascular risk. This study further indicates that specific metabolites present in the blood after cranberry consumption are related to the beneficial effects,” said Dr. Christian Heiss, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Surrey and co-author of the study .
A diet low in fruits and vegetables is known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Cranberries, packed with proanthocyanidins, can help lower the risk of heart disease and improve overall cardiovascular function.
