Blueberries Help Fight Fat

The benefits of blueberry consumption have been demonstrated in several nutrition studies, more specifically the cardio-protective benefits derived from their high polyphenol content. Shiwani Moghe, from Texas Woman’s University (Texas, USA), vand colleagues assessed whether blueberry polyphenols play a role in adipocyte differentiation, the process in which a relatively unspecialized cell acquires specialized features of an adipocyte, an animal connective tissue cell specialized for the synthesis and storage of fat. Plant polyphenols have been shown to fight adipogenesis, which is the development of fat cells, and induce lipolysis, which is the breakdown of lipids/fat. The research revealed that the blueberry polyphenols suppressed adipocyte differentiation in a dose-dependent manner. As well, the highest dose of blueberry polyphenols yielded a 73% decrease in lipids. The team submits that: “The promise is there for blueberries to help reduce adipose tissue from forming in the body.”