Southfield (WWJ) -- Blueberries may be one way to cut down on belly fat.
Researchers at the University of Michigan say blueberries may melt belly fat regardless of your diet. The study, released Sunday at the Experimental Biology convention in New Orleans, found that rats fed freeze dried, crushed blueberries for 90 days ended up with less belly fat, lower cholesterol and better blood sugar levels. The rats did even better if they were also fed low fat diets.
Scientists say even the rats that stayed on high fat diets showed significant improvement on the blueberry powder.
Researchers say reduced abdominal fat may lead to a lower risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
"The benefits of eating fruits and vegetables has been well-researched, but our findings in regard to blueberries shows the naturally occurring chemicals they contain, such as anthocyanins, show promise in mitigating these health conditions," Dr. Steven Bolling, U-M heart surgeon and head of the Cardioprotection Laboratory, said in a statement.
But, researchers say while the animal findings suggest blueberries may be protective against two health conditions that affect millions of Americans, more research should be done.
The study was supported by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, which also supplied the blueberry powder, but scientists say the council did not play a role in the study's conduct, analysis or the preparation of the poster presentation.
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