Chocolate and cocoa have been found to relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Now researchers have found that the compounds in blueberries also dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow. In this randomized, double-blind, crossover trial, healthy men were given drinks containing measured amounts of blueberry polyphenols or a control drink. The volunteers sipped their blueberry beverages from opaque containers through black straws so that the colors would not be visible.
The blueberry drink relaxed blood vessels most strongly one to two hours after ingestion, but benefits were detected up to six hours later. The improvement in vascular function with blueberries closely resembles that found with cocoa flavonols. Perhaps that contributes to the beneficial effect that has been seen on cognitive function with both blueberries and cocoa.
[American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Nov, 2013]
We count both blueberries and chocolate among our favorite foods in our book, The People’s Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Remedies. We discussed blueberry research with Mary Ann Lila, PhD, David H. Murdock Distinguished Professor at the North Carolina Research Campus of North Carolina State University in 2011.
