Fruit juice for heart health

Delicious idea for good health and a refreshing summer drink. Researchers out of France have found that the combination of grape, apple, blueberry and strawberry juices provide a blend that may contribute to a lower risk of heart disease.

In coming up with the recipe, the scientists looked for fruits high in polyphenols. They tested the chemical levels in various fruit combinations on pig coronary arteries until they found the best mix. Grape juice should make up half the formula and should ideally also include lingonberries (which I’ve only seen at IKEA), acerola and aronia (which are hard to find anywhere).

Undoubtedly this adds to the growing pile of evidence that fresh, raw fruits and vegetables can contribute significantly to health, not only preserving it but increasing it as we age. Tracy Parker, heart health dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said, “This research adds more weight to evidence that eating fruit and vegetables is good for us in terms of reducing our risk for heart disease. However, we still don’t fully understand why, or whether certain fruits and vegetables are better than others. Even this study acknowledges that scientists can’t yet explain any link. What we do know is that we should all eat a wide range of fruit and veg as part of a balanced diet, and fruit juices a tasty and handy way of doing this. Don’t forget though, juice contains less fibre and more sugar than the original fruit so it only counts as one of our five-a-day.”

If you use your own juicer to create the concoction, you will retain a lot of the natural fibers. Be sure to use organic and the benefits are even more. Add some ice or frozen juice for a smoothie. Frozen strawberries or grapes work too

Source: British Heart Foundation, MedicalNewsToday