How many of us know that blueberries promote gastrointestinal health? Many of us do not realize the importance of dietary fibers in everyday food consumption. We feast on steaks like kings and feel fulfilled whenever we eat any of the following: chicken nuggets, bacon, and anything that swam in a deep fryer, spicy foods, chocolates, mashed potatoes, beans, and ice cream. These, according to the dieticians are some of the toughest foods to digest. Our poor digestive systems are always subjected to a difficult job after we bombard our body with these foods.
Good digestive health is imperative if you want to avoid future problems. Colon cancer is the third deadliest cancer in the Western world and as many as 655,000 people from all over the world succumb to this killer each year. Eating fruits like blueberries, which have high antioxidant properties, is one way to detoxify the system and eating fruits that are rich in dietary fiber will help you in a big, big way. If you are used to eating high calorie meals such as red meat, then beware of this lifestyle because it increases the risk of acquiring this disease.
Blueberries may be rather tiny but did you know that these little ones have very high soluble and insoluble dietary fiber content? This fruit can help you eliminate waste better, relieving you from diarrhoea and constipation. Aside from fibers, it also has tannins, which are plant polyphenols that act as astringents that help reduce inflammation in the digestive system. According to researches, the phenolic compounds found in blueberries also hamper the spreading of colon cancer cells and bring about apoptosis (programmed cell cancer death). Another nutrient present in blueberries is ellagic acid, which is also found in other berry varieties such as strawberries. This chemical component blocks the processes that could lead to cancer, and this was shown in a study, which revealed that elderly ones consuming blueberries regularly had lower risks of developing cancers than those that didn’t. The pectin in blueberries also helps lower cholesterol and prevents bile acid from being transformed into a cancer-causing agent.
The bottom line is that blueberries will help one ensure optimum gastrointestinal health. A poorly functioning digestive system is irritating and can even make a person less productive. And colon cancer, aside from being one of the deadliest, is also one of the most physically painful cancers any person can experience. While the cure for cancer is yet to be found, blueberries can help you prevent the deadly disease beforehand.