Blueberries can help you get leaner

According to American researchers, the use of this berry helps to improve athletic performance and burn body fat. They found that eating 25 grams of freeze-dried blueberries daily (equivalent to about a cup of fresh blueberries) prompted the body to burn more fat during exercise.

In addition, the berry also helps your muscles store deficient glycogen stores, the body’s main source of energy. This means that blueberries will help you train longer and even more efficiently.

During exercise, the body breaks down fatty acids for energy, a process known as fat oxidation.

But as training gets more intense, the rate of fat oxidation slows down and no longer provides the body with enough energy, forcing the body to resort to glycogen stores, which are formed from carbohydrates. However, as glycogen levels decrease, the body becomes more tired, which can limit the effectiveness of exercise.

Blueberries are high in antioxidants called anthocyanins, which give them their deep purple hue. Recent studies show that this compound may also enhance fat oxidation. So a team of scientists from Cal Poly and Gonzago University’s Department of Kinesiology and Sports Management tried to determine if a concentrated dose of blueberries could speed up this process.

They recruited 11 healthy male cyclists who were asked how they felt after 40 minutes of moderate cycling. Every 10 minutes, scientists took blood samples from the athlete’s finger.

For two weeks, the subjects consumed 25 g of freeze-dried wild blueberry powder per day, which contained 375 g of anthocyanins.

They then went through the same 40-minute cycle during which blood was taken from them. Tests showed that the rate of fat oxidation increased by 19.7% after 20 minutes of training, by 43.2% after 30 minutes and by 31.1% after 40 minutes, which means that the volunteers burned more fat after eating the berries.

They also burned less carbohydrate-dependent glycogen stores at any given time, according to results published in the journal Nutrients.

Their blood lactate levels, which are a marker of fatigue, were also “significantly reduced,” the scientists said. This suggests that their stamina has been greatly improved.

Christina Denisyuk.