Superfruit cocktail has super heart benefits
Scientists have developed a special blend of superfood fruit juices which they believe is the ideal blend for lowering the risk of heart disease.
Previous studies have suggested the fruit and vegetables are good for the heart and fruit that contains polyphenols – which destroys fat cells in the body – can improve the functioning of arteries.
The new findings support this evidence after French scientists tested the cocktail on pig arteries and found that the combination of fruit juices caused the artery walls to relax.
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They say it is the healthiest and best tasting blend of fruit juices, and includes grapes, apples, blueberries, strawberries and lingonberries.
There were also some more exotic fruits added to the cocktail – aronia, from America, which is also known as chokeberry and acreola, a cherry like fruit from the West Indies.
Grape juice makes 60 per cent of the ‘healthy heart’ fruit cocktail, and the final recipe was chosen through a taste test with 80 volunteer consumers.
Lead researcher Dr Cyril Auger, from the University of Strasbourg, said: “Among the various fruits investigated, the most active ones were predominantly berries including cranberry, lingonberry, aronia, blackcurrant and blueberry.”
He added: “These berries are characterised by the presence of high levels of anthocyanins, which are pigments responsible for the blue-red colours of fruits.”
The findings were published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal, Food and Function and the authors concluded: “Our data indicates that blends of fruit products can be developed to combine a high level of vasorelaxant activity and an enjoyable taste.”
Superfruits and superfoods are now becoming so popular, that the Hard Rock Cafe have now incorporated these ingredients into their cocktail selection: