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Medical Forum / General / Nutrition / August 2004Blueberries lower cholesterol as well as drugs
Posted with blueberry stained fingers. Zee http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5000025-103690,00.html US scientist points to blueberry health benefits James Meikle, health correspondent Tuesday August 24, 2004 The Guardian Eating blueberries might help protect people against clogged arteries, researchers suggested yesterday. The fruits contain a compound that works similarly to a drug used to reduce levels of harmful cholesterol, according to tests on rat liver cells. That might offer an alternative to patients susceptible to side-effects from medication or who did not respond to conventional treatments. Scientists led by Agnes Rimando, from the US department of agriculture, studied the effects of four different blueberry compounds on the cells and found the most effective results from pterostilbene, an antioxidant also identified in red wine and grapes. It stimulated a receptor protein in the cells which plays an important part in lowering cholesterol and blood fats. Dr Rimando told the American Chemical Society's conference in Philadelphia: "We are excited to learn that blueberries, which are already known to be rich in healthy compounds, may also be a potent weapon in the battle against obesity and heart disease." She has already suggested that pterostilbene may have properties that protect against cancer and diabetes. But she warned that, until studies had been completed in humans, no one could know how many blueberries people might have to eat to lower levels of the "bad" form of cholesterol or fatty substances known as triglycerides. A drug called ciprofibrate is used for this purpose, but it can cause muscle pain and nausea. Dr Rimando believes the blueberry compound targets the liver cell receptor more effectively. Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004 > Posted with blueberry stained fingers. Zee > [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] > > Guardian Unlimited ? Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004 In general, fruits are not particularly high in vitamin K. That is, they are not in the same league with green leafy vegetables and soy. Nevertheless, there are some fruits which, for fruits, are high in vitamin K. And the blueberry is one of them. This has implications for people who are taking coumadin (warafin) to reduce the risk of blood clots. To add to the problem, blueberries are seasonal and many people will not have access to them except for a relatively short period each year when they are in season and plentiful (relatively inexpensive). Thus people on coumadin (warafin) therapy may tend to buy them and enjoy them in relatively high quantities. This can have a detrimental effect on the effect of the anti-clotting drug therapy. I learned this "the hard way." So before everyone starts consuming massive quantities of blueberries in response to a study on rat cells that "might" demonstrate something, a little research and/or consultation with one's doctor is definitely in order. Steve  SignatureThe above posting is neither a legal opinion nor legal advice, because we do not have an attorney-client relationship, and should not be construed as either. This posting does not represent the opinion of my employer, but is merely my personal view. To reply, delete _spamout_ and replace with the numeral 3 Tue, 24 Aug 2004 05:32:51 -0400 in article <7XDWc.42050$Yl.23296@okepread07> >In general, fruits are not particularly high in vitamin K. That is, they >are not in the same league with green leafy vegetables and soy. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >little research and/or consultation with one's doctor is definitely in >order. First, blueberries are _not_ particularly high in vitamin K. They have only 12.0 µg vitamin K per 100 g. Compare this with - Parsley 360.0 µg/100 g - Dill 280.0 µg/100 g - Spinach 270.0 µg/100 g - Garden cress 250.0 µg/100 g - Brussels sprouts 220.0 µg/100 g - Kale 200.0 µg/100 g - Chives 190.0 µg/100 g - Rapeseed oil 150.0 µg/100 g - Soyabean oil 145.0 µg/100 g - Lettuce 130.0 µg/100 g - Oil, average 126.6 µg/100 g - Broccoli 110.0 µg/100 g - Margarine 80% average 105.0 µg/100 g - Peas, dried 99.1 µg/100 g - Chinese cabbage 80.0 µg/100 g - Soy flour, full-fat, raw 70.0 µg/100 g - White cabbage 60.0 µg/100 g - Leek 54.0 µg/100 g - Green bean/ Broad bean 47.0 µg/100 g - Red cabbage 42.0 µg/100 g - Soya beans, dried 40.0 µg/100 g - Kiwi fruit w/o peel 34.3 µg/100 g - Black currants 30.0 µg/100 g - Peas, fresh 28.0 µg/100 g - Lentils, dried 22.0 µg/100 g - Linseed 22.0 µg/100 g - Dates with stone 20.5 µg/100 g - Figs with stone 20.5 µg/100 g - Cauliflower 20.0 µg/100 g - Avocado w/o skin and stone 20.0 µg/100 g - Carrots 19.0 µg/100 g - Grapes green/black 19.0 µg/100 g - Sesame seeds 14.0 µg/100 g - Celery, stem 12.0 µg/100 g - Plums without stone 12.0 µg/100 g So you see, if one is on coumadin and worried about vitamin K content of the food, there are _lots_ of other food items to be watched before one should start watching blueberry intake. In practice this is almost impossible (and may lead to a very unhealthy diet), because the list is so extensive. Therefore rather than watching individual food items, one should avoid large variations in the diet. The coumadin dose can be adjusted according to one's diet and other individual parameters. Only if even large doses of coumadin fail to achieve the desired result, could watching individual food items possibly enter the picture. And even then it's mostly those food items with 3-digit µg/100 g vitamin K content, there should be no reason to watch blueberry intake (other than keeping it fairly constant, but this applies to the whole diet). Secondly, have you ever heard of a freezer? Where I live the blueberry season is very short, only 2-3 weeks in a year or so, but frozen blueberries are available inexpensively from the shops throughout the year. And even if they are not, what would prevent one from buying one year's supply when the blueberries are at their cheapest and freezing it? Five years ago I was on coumadin for six months. During this 6 month period I ate frozen (and thawed ;-)). blueberries every morning as I had done before and as I still do. I also ate daily many food items with higher vitamin K content than blueberries. Still, I had no problems whatsoever, because my coumadin dose, as everyone else's, was adjusted individually for my diet and other personal parameters. PS. Coumadin is _warfarin_ (crystalline warfarin sodium), not warafin as you wrote. SignatureMatti Narkia Salut Steve Nice to see you back. Moderation. And yes, blueberries can be frozen. I do and then store them in zip lock baggies. I eat them frozen, one blueberry at a time. I also pick freeze and eat Saskatoon berries. There is little nutritional info on these but I'd bet they are even better than blueberries. They are far more delicious, and were traditionally used by fur-traders and Metis hunters to make pemmican with bison meat and fat. Our nation was built on pemmican and Saskatoon berries. I read recently where Saskatoons had stopped for import to the U.S. while they try to figure out what they are. Thank God because the crop was not good this year and I want to make sure I get mine. Zee > > Posted with blueberry stained fingers. Zee > > [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] > > Steve > Moderation. And yes, blueberries can be frozen. I do and then store > them in zip lock baggies. I eat them frozen, one blueberry at a time. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Zee I'd imagine Cloudberry and Ligonberry may fill the bill or at least add a little flavor to Ice cream or Swedish Meatball's in that order. Consider preserves aka Jelly and jams for the off seasons. Sounds like tasty medicine I hope it will prove to be true! If not still yummy. William(Bill) SignatureZone 5 S Jersey USA Shade Earth sometimes. There is atleast one word misspelled deliberately in the above post. ;)) Serious Vision Problems? consider http://www.ocutech.com/ http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/e/snews/2004/0809.shtml |
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