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Some of the most impressive health benefits of chokeberries
include their ability to improve digestive processes, protect the body against
free radicals, help lose weight, reduce inflammation, protect the immune
system, prevent diabetes, improve eye health, slow the effects of aging, combat
cancer, lower blood pressure, and stimulate repair to the body.
Weight Loss:
Right off the bat, chokeberries are low incalories and fat, yet contain dietary fibre and a wealth of nutrients. If
you’re trying to feel full and stay healthy, without packing on any extra
pounds, chokeberries can be an excellent dietary aid.
Digestion:
As mentioned above, chokeberries are high in dietaryfibre, meaning that they facilitate smooth digestion by moving food through the
gut efficiently. By bulking up stool, fibre can help to eliminate constipation,
diarrhoea, cramping, bloating, and general stomach discomfort. The organic
compounds contained in chokeberries also protect the gut from dangerous
bacteria, due to its natural immune-boosting and antioxidant activity.
Antioxidant Capacity:
This is certainly the most importantaspect of chokeberries, given that there are dozens of different antioxidants
crammed into this one type of fruit! From quercetin, epicatechin, caffeic acid,
and malvidin to lutein, zeaxanthin, and carotene, chokeberries provide a huge
amount of antioxidant protection that can increase your overall health by
eliminating free radicals in your bloodstream, skin, eyes, organs, and tissues
that may be trying to cause healthy cells to mutate. The powerful anthocyanin
and flavonoid activity is one of the most impressive and unique capacities of
this tart fruit.
Cancer Prevention:
Research has linked chokeberries andtheir anthocyanin content directly to a reduction in colon cancer. Given that
this is one of the most widespread and largely untreated (until it’s too late)
forms of cancer, these berries could be a wonderful preventative measure
against it, particularly if you have other predispositions to that type of
cancer.
Cognitive Disorders:
One of the most damaging processes offree radicals affects the brain and cognitive pathways. The anthocyanins found
in chokeberries have been directly linked to increasing neural pathway activity
and reducing oxidative stress in the brain, thereby reducing the appearance and
onset of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other age-related cognitive disorders.
Immune System:
While the antioxidants get most of theattention in chokeberries, there is also a significant amount of vitamin C,
which stimulates the activity of white blood cells and is also a crucial
component in the production of collagen. Collagen is integral for the growth
and repair of new tissues, organs, blood vessels, and cells, while white blood
cells function as the front lines of the body’s immune response.
Eye Health:
The carotenes found in chokeberries are able toreduce oxidative stress in the eyes, thereby preventing the onset of macular
degeneration and slowing or preventing the development of cataracts. Carotenes
are some of the most powerful antioxidants and are found in significant levels
in chokeberries.
Skin Health and Aging:
There are a variety of components inchokeberries that can improve the health and appearance of your skin. Oxidative
stress affects skin as we age, resulting in wrinkles, age spots, and the more
severe appearance of blemishes and scars. The antioxidants in chokeberries can
prevent these age-related symptoms, and due to their astringent property, can
actually tighten the skin and shave years off your appearance!
Blood Pressure and Heart Health:
The potassium content inchokeberries is high enough to have a noticeable effect on heart health, mainly
because potassium is a vasodilator and can relieve the strain on the
cardiovascular system. By relaxing the blood vessels and arteries, blood flow
increases, blood pressure drops, and you can lower your chances of a heart
attack or stroke. Dietary fibre and various antioxidants also have a crucial
partnership with the heart in terms of lowering cholesterol levels and clearing
out free radicals.
Antibacterial Effects:
Recent research has shown thatchokeberries have a direct impact on common flu and bacterial infections in the
gut and respiratory tracts, making it a popular preventative measure during flu
season and a great snack if you’re feeling the onset of a cold.
Diabetes Prevention and Management:
The dietary fiber inchokeberries has also been linked to increase insulin regulation, which helps
keep blood sugar levels normal and prevents the spikes and drops that can be so
dangerous to those suffering from diabetes. These berries can also help prevent
the disease, in addition to managing it.
A Final Word of Warning:
Chokeberries are not known as acommonly allergenic food and limited side effects have been reported. However,
due to the potent combination of chemical compounds, your body may react
differently than others, so monitor your body’s reactions when first adding
chokeberries to your diet.
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