Toronto, ON (PRWEB) October 10, 2013
Lean On Life, a leading healthy lifestyle website with the latest on weight loss, nutrition, and fitness is supporting research revealing the unexpected health benefits of blueberries and red grapes.
As Lean On Life reports (http://www.leanonlife.com/unexpected-health-benefits-of-blueberries-and-red-grapes/), blueberries and red grapes are nutritious, nutrient-filled, low calorie fruits packed with antioxidants. But aside from antioxidants, research has stumbled upon a brand new list of reasons that loading up on blueberries and red grapes is a good idea, and can even save a life.
To pinpoint food-based compounds that help enhance the human immune system, an analysis was conducted on 446 different compounds. Researchers at Oregon State University’s Linus Pauling Institute have found that out of all the compounds studied, resveratrol in red grapes and pterostilbene from blueberries are among the strongest immune system boosters. The compounds are called stilbenoids, which are produced by plants and effectively fight infections.
Stilbenoids also help vitamin D do its job better. They work alongside vitamin D to increase the expression of the human CAMP (cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide) gene that plays an important role in immune function. This exciting new research was recently published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.
This research study is the first to demonstrate that, in combination with vitamin D, resveratrol and pterostilbene actually boost the immune system and help combat infection and illness. With many antibiotics losing their effectiveness, scientists are keen on learning more about the innate immune system.
Lean On Life nutritionist, Michelle Schiffman, explains that while more research is needed, adding red grapes and blueberries loaded with antioxidants to a nutritious diet is a safe and delicious bet. Schiffman adds, “Incorporating a handful of blueberries to top off breakfast cereal, yogurt, or even when baking are simple ways to get the antioxidants your body needs.”
Antioxidants are vitamins and minerals that help prevent or decrease the damage that oxidation does to the human body. Oxidation produces free radicals which can do damage resulting in long-term serious health issues like heart disease, high cholesterol, age-related diseases, diabetes and even cancer.
Lean On Life is a healthy lifestyle website that provides expert-driven knowledge from doctors, nutritionists, fitness trainers and life coaches. The site takes a hands-on approach to making weight-loss, healthy eating and fitness a simple achievable lifestyle change.