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Natural Awakenings Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties

Eat Strawberries to Improve Blood Vessel Health

Person eating bowl of strawberries to improve blood vessel health

Anete Lusina/Pexels.com

A new study from Chicago’s Illinois Institute of Technology demonstrates that strawberries increase flow in blood vessels and reduce systolic blood pressure. In the randomized, controlled, double-blind trial, overweight and obese adults with moderately high cholesterol were assigned to drink either a beverage containing 25 grams of freeze-dried strawberry powder or a similar drink without the strawberry powder twice daily for four weeks, followed by a four-week washout period. An hour after consumption, the strawberry powder improved flow-mediated dilation, indicating healthier blood pressure function; systolic blood pressure was lower even four weeks later.