Probiotics

Juicy News

Take a look at nearly any list of superfoods and you're bound to see blueberries at the top of the list. That's because the little sapphire-colored gems are packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants, vitamins, even fiber. Now, new research out of Sweden's Lund University Faculty of Engineering suggests that blueberries may offer protection against ulcerative colitis and other intestinal inflammations. Strengthening that protection: Probiotics.

So why would a blueberry-topped kefir parfait help a UC sufferer more than either product on its own? It seems that when the berries and "good" bacteria like lactobacillus or bifidobacteria are consumed together, levels of butyric acid and propionic acid increase in the blood. These two immune-enhancing substances, which serve as key energy sources for intestinal cells, are created when fiber - like that found in blueberries - is broken down. Probiotics help enhance the absorption of butyric and propionic acid.

It seems that the blueberry's fiber content is not subject to the same degree of intestinal breakdown as, say, rye bran or oat bran. As a result, the inflammation-inducing substances don't come into contact with the intestinal lining; rather, they remain embedded in the fiber and are then carried out of body through the digestive tract.

It's not just UC and Crohn's sufferers who can benefit from the juicy research: "New knowledge of this field is also of interest to those who don't believe they run the risk of developing any intestinal diseases," researchers told ScienceDaily.com.