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Tuesday, 2 October, 2007 7:49 PM
Strawberry Consumption Associated
with C-Reactive Protein Among Women: New Harvard Study
Women's
Health Study Reveals that Strawberries May Help Reduce Risk of Having
Elevated Inflammation in Blood Vessels
WATSONVILLE,
Calif. -- Strawberries are not only
delicious and nutrient-rich, new research from Harvard Medical School
found that they may offer cardiovascular disease protection. The
new
study found that those who reported eating the most strawberries
experienced lower blood levels of C-reactive protein, a biomarker
for
inflammation in the blood vessels.
Howard Sesso, ScD and
colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health
reported their findings in the August issue of the Journal of the
American College of Nutrition. Using dietary intake records of
approximately 27,000 of the women who participated in the decade-long
Women's Health Study, Sesso looked at levels of strawberry consumption
and several risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The findings
revealed that women who ate the most strawberries -- two or more
servings per week -- compared to those who reported eating none
in the
past month, were 14 percent less likely to have elevated C-reactive
protein levels.
C-reactive protein or
CRP is a blood biomarker that signals the presence
of inflammation in the body. Elevated levels of CRP have been shown
in
multiple studies to be a potentially good predictor of risk for
both
heart disease and stroke, as it is generally a signal of
atherosclerosis. As a result, The Centers for Disease Control and
American Heart Association have established guidelines suggesting
that
blood levels of CRP higher than 3 mg/L may be important in the risk
stratification and prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Researchers found that
those women who had higher strawberry intakes
were also more likely to lead a heart-healthy lifestyle. On average,
women in the highest strawberry intake group ate about twice as
many
servings of fruits and vegetables every day as did women in the
lowest
intake group. Not surprisingly, they had much higher average intakes
of
important heart-healthy nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, potassium
and
folate. They were also most likely to be non-smokers and get daily
physical activity. In addition, the high strawberry consumers had
modestly lower levels of both total and LDL cholesterol, the so-called
"bad" cholesterol.
"Higher intakes
of fruits and vegetables have consistently been
associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Strawberries are a rich source of several key nutrients and
phytonutrients that may play a role in protecting heart health.
This is
the first study to show that strawberries may help reduce the likelihood
of having elevated CRP levels in the blood. While more research
is
needed, this study helps provide more evidence that eating fruits
and
vegetables will help reduce risk for cardiovascular disease,"
said
Sesso.
Strawberries are a powerhouse
of nutrients and antioxidants that have
been shown in other studies to help reduce risk factors for heart
disease and some types of cancer. Eighty-eight percent of the nation's
supply of strawberries comes from California. Further information
about
scientific research into the links between California strawberries
and
health can be found at http://www.calstrawberry.com/.
Source: California
Strawberry Commission
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