Berry, Berry Good for You!!!

The cells in our body are constantly waging a battle against free radicals - unstable oxygen molecules associated with cancer, heart disease and the effects of aging. Antioxidants, which are natural substances found in fruits and vegetables, come to the rescue by neutralizing free radicals and keeping us healthy.
Tufts scientists measured the antioxidant levels of 50 fresh fruits and vegetables, and found berries occupied the top slots. This has largely been attributed to their high anthocyanin content. Anthocyanins give berries their blue and red colors as well as being powerful antioxidants three to four times more potent then traditional antioxidants such as vitamins C and E.

Tart Cherries- Better then aspirin?

Tart cherries have long been enjoyed as a folk remedy for aches and pain. Now, recent medical research validates that tart cherries provide highly effective pain relief and a multiplicity of other health benefits. In 1998, scientists at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, discovered that tart cherries are an excellent source of compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The antioxidant compound anthocyanin found in tart cherries in particular can have a beneficial effect on inflammation. According to Dr. Muraleedharan Nair, one of the study's authors, lab tests show that the anthocyanin in red tart cherries give 10 times the anti-inflammatory relief of aspirin, without irritating the stomach. Twenty tart cherries a day appear to provide enough anthocyanin (12 to 25 mg) to inhibit the enzymes that ultimately cause pain and inflammation. This was particularly true for pain related to arthritis and gout.

Cranberries- Balancing the Bacteria.

The cranberry is most well known for its role in combating urinary tract infections. This health benefit comes from the tart tasting group of phenols called condensed tannins, which prevent bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract.
At the meeting of the American Chemical Society in April 2002 several studies were presented that demonstrated that the antioxidant benefits of the cranberry does not end with UTIs (urinary tract infections). Emerging as one of the most powerful among common fruits studied, cranberries appear to possess anti-cancer properties, inhibit the growth of common foodborne pathogens and contain antibacterial properties.
Cranberries may also act as natural "probiotics" by enabling the good bacteria in the GI tract to thrive, while killing off the bad bacteria that promote infections and foodborne illnesses.
Research has also been done that implies that cranberry phenols may have heart-protective benefits by reducing both total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Blueberries- The leader of the pack.

USDA researcher Ronald Prior, Ph.D, has determined that blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity of 40 tested fruits and vegetables. Their antioxidant activity appears to largely be attributed to the anthocyanin flavonoids that give blue berries their dark blue color.
Recent laboratory studies suggest blueberries may delay the onset of age-related memory loss. James Joseph, Ph.D, Chief of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, is working with blueberries to examine their potential to help improve motor skills and reverse the short-term memory loss that comes with aging.
Wild Blueberries also showed the greatest anti-cancer activity of fruits tested during a University of Illinois study by Mary Ann Lila Smith, Ph.D, the researcher found that a particular flavonoid that is abundant in blueberries inhibits an enzyme involved in promoting cancer.
According to research findings at the Rutgers Blueberry Cranberry Research Center in Chatsworth, N.J., blueberries as well as cranberries help promote urinary tract health. They contain the same compounds that prevent the bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections from attaching to the bladder wall.
Because of the high anthocyanin concentration of blueberries they are also being studied for their ability to improve night vision and slow macular degeneration by strengthening tiny blood vessels in the back of the eye.

Sweets that are actually good for you - it's about time!
Traditional folk medicine has long relied on berries- as well as teas made from their leaves and roots- to treat ailments ranging from bladder infections and motion sickness to poor vision and PMS. Now scientific research is identifying just how packed full of goodness these little gems are.

Getting your berry goodness everyday.
Now you know how great they are, how can you be sure to get enough? Being seasonal fruit, finding ripe berries that don't cost you a fortune is not always possible. Frozen berries are a good option but then again you are limited by the preparation.

ALL ONE has been inspired by the promising research that is emerging about these berries and has developed an incredible new addition to their powdered vitamin and mineral line. The Antioxidant Fruit Formula provides you with 2 full grams of free radical fighting fruit with the same high potency vitamins and minerals that ALL ONE is known and loved for. So don't worry if you cant track down those berries, now you can get everything you need in one great tasting economical powder. For more information click here.