Do you love blueberries?  Good news! Research studies indicate it can help you fight the belly fat battle.

Science Daily http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090419170112.htm reported that a University of Michigan cardiovasular study in 2009 on rats seemed to indicate that if you have blueberries as 2% of your diet, it will do the following for you:

• less abdominal fat
• lower triglycerides
• lower cholesterol
• Improved fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity

Another study, by scientist in Arkansas, revealed that the purple color in blueberries may help prevent obesity – but if you eat the whole blueberry the effect may not occur.  The study found that “that mice fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks plus drinking water with purified anthocyanins from blueberries and strawberries gained less weight and had lower body fat levels than a control group. “Anthocyanins fed as the whole blueberry did not prevent and may have actually increased obesity,” the study reported.  “However, feeding purified anthocyanins from blueberries or strawberries reduced obesity.”

In an article about research done at Texas Women’s University, the author stated “Blueberries have shown potential to have a positive effect on everything from aging to metabolic syndrome.”

The researcher,  at Texas Women’s U – Shiwani Moghe – wanted to see what varying doses of blueberries in mice had on the causing cells to become adipocyte, cells specialized for the synthesis and storage of fat.

She said, “”I wanted to see if using blueberry polyphenols could inhibit obesity at a molecular stage,”

Polyphenols are chemicals which researchers are beginning to think provide benefits against a lot of diseases and possibly some age related issues.

She found that they did and that larger doses inhibited more obesity.

According to a study done by members of the Americal Chemical Society,  blueberries that grow wild in Mexico, Central and South America may have even more health benefits than the berries grown and sold in the US.

Sources:

• University of Michigan (2009, April 19). Blueberries May Help Reduce Belly Fat, Diabetes Risk. ScienceDaily. Retrieved
• Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (2011, April 10). Blueberries may inhibit development of fat cells
• American Chemical Society (2011, April 27). Super-fruits: Tropical blueberries extremely high in healthful antioxidants, study suggests.