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Wonder berry could conquer heart disease

March 17, 2008  By fruit& vegetable magazine


Sea buckthorn berries may become
the next big thing in heart health according to a recent report from
the Society of Chemical Industry. It has long been known that the fruit
is full of biologically active chemicals that are good for you.

Sea buckthorn berries may become the next big thing in heart health according to a recent report from the Society of Chemical Industry. It has long been known that the fruit is full of biologically active chemicals that are good for you. These include antioxidants that inhibit LDL cholesterol oxidization, keeping it from adhering to the lining of blood vessels. This prevents arteries from clogging, ultimately fighting cardiovascular disease. Of course, the key to obtaining this benefit is consuming the berries in food or drinks, a challenge, considering most current juice extraction methods result in poor quality product. That may soon change. According to research published recently in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, scientists in India have developed a highly efficient technique to extract large quantities of cholesterol-lowering compounds. This new process, which uses continuous high-speed centrifugation to separate the juice from the solid sludge, helps retain more than 40 per cent of the polyphenols, 50 per cent of the flavonoids and 70 per cent of the vitamin C present in the red berries’ pulp. Two companies have shown interest in the process including one based in Mongolia.

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