Blueberry Phenol Pterostilbene Reduces Body Fat, Could Lower Diabetes Risk

“. . . a 2003 study found that short-lived fish given resveratrol lived 50 percent longer and both learned and swam better into old age.” – D Gutierrez

BlueberriesNaturalNews – You may have heard about the miracle antioxidant resveratrol, found in blueberries, grapes and red wine. But did you know that these same foods also contain another phenolic compound, pterostilbene, which may help lower body fat and reduce diabetes risk? That was the finding of a study conducted by researchers from the Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERobn) of the Carlos III Institute of Health, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Pterostilbene is in the same chemical family as resveratrol and is found in many of the same foods, such as grapes, blueberries, cranberries and peanuts. Pterostilbene is much less well studied than resveratrol, and most studies to date have focused on its cancer-fighting benefits. Because of its small size, pterostilbene is able to penetrate the cell membranes of cancer cells, inducing cell death. It has also been shown to suppress the ability of cancer cells to produce the energy they need to function.

The new study is the first pre-clinical work to look at pterostilbene’s effects on obesity in an animal model.

Prevents diabetes, protects heart

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