Taking the pain out of the strain with Blackcurrant ‘superfruit’
If your last visit to the gym or that mad dash to catch your cheap flight to Paris left you tired and aching, treat yourself to a refreshing drink of blackcurrant juice.
Plant and Food researchers from the New Zealand Institute believe flavonoids from this ‘superfruit’ can reduce inflammation and muscle damage caused by exercise and even repetitive tasks such as typing. After taking one to two ounces of blackcurrant extract tablets every day for three weeks before and after moderate exercise, volunteers demonstrated less oxidative stress and muscle degeneration.
Although unable to identify the exact compounds involved, research leader Dr Roger Hurst believes that flavonoids in the fruit are more likely to be the cause of these benefits than Vitamin C. Publishing his results in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, integrative Comparative Physiology, Dr Hurst said, “Flavanoids include anthocyanins, which give blackcurrants their brilliant purple colour.”
Blackcurrants are a traditional remedy for tiredness, arthritis, gout, lung disorders and kidney stones. They can also help reduce heart disease risks and are believed to increase blood flow.
According to Jo Hilditch of the UK based Blackcurrant Foundation, blackcurrants have been vied as a “premium source of Vitamin C and antioxidants for years ad this test research further reinforces their superfruit status. This study is not just test tube results; it has been carried out on real human beings ensuring that the results are tangible and relevant for people’s lifestyles.”
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