A University of Glasgow study has shown that drinking fruit juices and tea may help reduce the incidence of heart disease in humans.

Fruits juices - such as raspberry, strawberry and bilberry – as well as green and black tea have been found to reduce fatty deposits in the walls of arteries, a key event in the development of heart disease.

The study was carried out by Alan Crozier, Professor of Plant Biochemistry and Human Nutrition at the university, and academics at the University of Montpellier in France.

The scientists investigated the effects of Bouvrage raspberry, strawberry and bilberry juices and green and black tea on the health of hamsters. The rodents were chosen because when fed a fat-rich diet they exhibit elevated levels of cholesterol and develop “fatty streaks” in their artery walls indicative of heart disease in much the same way as it occurs humans. However, in hamsters this occurs within a period of 12 weeks rather the decades required with humans.

250 Bilberries

The study, published in the Food Chemistry journal, showed that when the hamsters were fed the fat-rich diet along with the beverages, there was a remarkable 79 per cent – 96 per cent reduction in aortic lipid deposition, with raspberry juice and green tea being the most effective

Importantly, the volume of beverage which brought benefit to the hamsters was nutritionally relevant, being equivalent to an adult human eating 120g of raspberries or drinking one glass of juice or a mug of tea on a daily basis.

Prof Crozier said the findings once again indicate just how important it is to eat a good diet. “Our findings suggest that taken as part of a healthy diet, berries and berry juices and teas may reduce the incidence of heart disease in humans. The teas we used were ordinary Tetley teas purchased from a local supermarket and the Bouvrage juices were produced in Scotland by Ella Drinks Ltd of Alloa, were also obtained from a local outlet. They are, therefore, both accessible and affordable for the general public which is in itself important.”

The report follows the influential Kame Study with elderly Japanese-Americans which suggests that long-term moderate consumption of fruit and vegetable juices can delay the onset of Alzheimers' disease, as well other research with rats showing that berries can slow cognitive decline.

For more media information please contact Eleanor Cowie, Media Relations Officer on Telephone: 0141 330 3683 or Email e.cowie@admin.gla.ac.uk

First published: 4 September 2009

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