In our previous blog we mentioned bioactive compounds, and surely more than one of you have heard them somewhere.

Well, bioactive compounds are molecules that are present in foods such as fruits, vegetables and milk. They are not considered nutrients, but they have a physiological effect and therefore can have a beneficial effect on health.

These compounds can be found in the supermarket, right on the fruit shelves, and as a curious fact, these molecules are related to the color of fruits, for example the blue and red of berries.

So when you feel like eating berries for their exquisite flavor, remember that they also possess bioactive compounds such as anthocyanins, which according to the research we share today, have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health.

Anthocyanins are part of a group of bioactive compounds called polyphenols, of which there are more than 8000 species and are characterized by their antioxidant and maybe even anticarcinogenic capacity.

The authors of the research, from the University of De Montfort, in Leicester, UK, carried out a complete review of the benefits of anthocyanins present in berries on cardiovascular health.

Among these functions, the authors mention the improvement in endothelial function, as anthocyanins in berries could cause relaxations within the vascular tone, suggesting vasoactive and protective properties against cardiovascular diseases.

They also mention that berry anthocyanins may activate pathways that contribute to their antioxidant function as radical scavengers, as they may up-regulate nuclear factor 2 erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf2), responsible for transcription of constitutive and inducible expression of antioxidant genes.

Similarly, anthocyanins can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway, a regulator of the immune response critical for the contribution of proinflammatory gene regulation.

In the end, the authors conclude that berry-derived anthocyanins have shown promising effects both in vitro and in vivo in combating endothelial dysfunction.

This type of study could be demonstrating the molecular mechanisms exerted by bioactive compounds in food, in this case berries, on the health and longevity of those who consume them.

If you want to see the detailed study we have shared, take a look at the following link and then go to the supermarket to buy berries!!!!

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mnfr.202100170