Daily consumption of whole cranberry powder for one month improves vascular function in healthy men and this is linked with specific metabolite profiles in plasma, according to a new study published in the journal Food & Function.
Heiss et al. found daily consumption of cranberries for one month improved cardiovascular function in healthy men. Image credit: Pexels.
Low consumption of fruits and vegetables is one of the top modifiable risk factors associated with a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease worldwide.
Growing evidence continues to link the polyphenols from berries with heart health benefits.
Cranberries are fruits rich in (poly)phenols that have been widely investigated because of their potential health benefits .
They are particularly rich in A-type proanthocyanidins, but also contain significant amounts of anthocyanins, flavonols, and phenolic acids.
The A-type proanthocyanidins are unique to cranberries and few other foods, while B-type proanthocyanidins are abundant in many commonly consumed fruits such as grapes, apples and blueberries, and cocoa products.
“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, a researcher in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London.
“The fact that these improvements in cardiovascular health were seen with an amount of cranberries that can be reasonably consumed daily makes cranberry an important fruit in the prevention of cardiovascular disease for the general public.”
The study involved 45 healthy men who consumed whole cranberry powder equivalent to 100g of fresh cranberries per day (9 g powder) or a placebo for one month.
Those consuming cranberry had a significant improvement in flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which signals improvement of heart and blood vessel function.
FMD is considered a sensitive biomarker of cardiovascular disease risk and measures how blood vessels widen when blood flow increases.
“We found significant improvements in FMD two hours after first consumption and after one month of daily consumption showing both immediate and chronic benefit,” the authors said.
“In addition, metabolites were also identified and predicted the positive effects seen in FMD.”
“Our findings provide solid evidence that cranberries can significantly affect vascular health even in people with low cardiovascular risk,” said Professor Christian Heiss, a researcher at the University of Surrey.
“This study further indicates that specific metabolites present in blood after cranberry consumption are related to the beneficial effects.”
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Christian Heiss et al. Daily consumption of cranberry improves endothelial function in healthy adults: a double blind randomized controlled trial. Food & Function, published online March 22, 2022; doi: 10.1039/D2FO00080F
Source link: https://www.sci.news/medicine/cranberry-cardiovascular-function-10642.html
