These little black berries would help burn more fat during sports.
- Blueberries contain high levels of anthocyanin, an antioxidant that may increase fat oxidation.
- Eleven cyclists had to cycle for 40 minutes twice, have their blood drawn and consume 25 grams of freeze-dried wild blueberry powder every day for two weeks.
- After eating blueberries, their rate of fat oxidation increased, which allowed them to burn more fat during physical exertion.
In addition to their taste benefits, blueberries are beneficial for health. They are low in sugars, contain vitamins, trace elements, fibers, tannins. These fruits would promote good vision, help fight against aging and strengthen the immune system. “Wild blueberries have been shown to decrease oxidative stress in active and sedentary people, influence lipolytic enzymes, and increase the rate of resting fat oxidation,” said researchers from California Polytechnic State University (USA).
Eleven cyclists consumed 25 grams of freeze-dried blueberries
Recently, they revealed that these little berries can help us lose weight. In order to reach this conclusion, scientists conducted a study, the results of which were published in the journal Nutrients. As part of this work, they wanted to know if a certain amount of blueberries could speed up the process of fat oxidation, that is, the process by which the body breaks down fat to produce energy during the sport.
The authors recruited 11 healthy cyclists. Participants had to answer questions about their health and cycle at a moderate intensity for 40 minutes. The team took blood samples every 10 minutes. For two weeks, the athletes consumed, every day, 25 grams of freeze-dried wild blueberry powder, containing 375 grams of anthocyanin, namely an antioxidant that would increase the oxidation of fats. After eating the little berries, they cycled again for 40 minutes and had their blood drawn.
Weight loss: more fat burned after eating blueberries
According to the results, the rate of fat oxidation increased by 19.7% after 20 minutes of cycling, 43.2% after 30 minutes and 31.1% after 40 minutes. Clearly, the volunteers burned more fat after consuming blueberries. “Carbohydrate oxidation decreased by 10.1% at 20 minutes, 19.2% at 30 minutes, and 14.8% at 40 minutes,” can we read in the searches.
According to scientists, these fruits could also help the muscles to maintain their stores of glycogen, the main source of energy of the body, which, in theory, could allow the body to exercise longer and to be more efficient. The authors also found that blood lactate levels (a sign of fatigue) were lower after consuming blueberries.
