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Cranberry juice may be good for the heart

1 September 2006

Drinking cranberry juice may be good for the heart, according to researchers at Laval University in Quebec City, Canada.

The research, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, suggests that drinking a reduced sugar, high concentration (25 percent) cranberry juice every day can increase the amount of "good" cholesterol in the body by up to eight percent.

It also contains antioxidants which protect against the effects of "bad" cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a type of fat (lipid) made by the body in the liver. Bad cholesterol, which is also called low density lipoprotein (LDL), carries cholesterol from the liver into the blood, making it more likely to be deposited in the arteries. This increases the risk of heart disease. Good cholesterol, which is also known as high density lipoprotein (HDL) is thought to prevent heart problems by carrying cholesterol out of the blood stream, and reducing the amount that is deposited in the arteries.

"An increase in HDL cholesterol is a sign that the arteries are clearing up the accumulated cholesterol, which is positive for heart health," comments lead researcher Dr Charles Couillard.

"Drinking a glass of cranberry juice on a daily basis is certainly a good nutritional habit to adopt, but to maximise the benefits of drinking cranberry juice, you will need to get more active and also eat less fat," he adds.

The 12 week study, involved 30 men aged 18-70 who were slightly overweight and had an elevated bad cholesterol level.


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