Scientifically confirmed Red strawberries help against intestinal inflammation

Study shows: strawberries could help against intestinal inflammation

Abdominal pain, cramps, bloody diarrhea: millions of people suffer from chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Researchers have now found that a popular fruit could help sufferers. Thus, a daily serving of strawberries can relieve the symptoms of such diseases.

Healthy fruits

Strawberries are full of healthy ingredients. Even with 120 grams of fruit, the daily vitamin C requirement of an adult can be covered. In addition, the low-calorie fruit contains a lot of folic acid and numerous minerals such as potassium and magnesium, which strengthen the heart. There is obviously much more health potential in the fruits. For example, scientists from Italy found evidence that a strawberry extract could protect against breast cancer. And researchers from the United States have now found that the popular berries can also help with inflammatory bowel disease.

Strawberries are not only full of valuable vitamins and minerals, but can also reduce the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease according to a new study. (Image: Tim UR / fotolia.com)

One serving of strawberries a day

Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis often cause symptoms such as severe diarrhea, abdominal pain and chronic fatigue.

In addition, such diseases increase the risk of colorectal cancer.

Some sufferers can help with medication, but some also need surgery. But now researchers report that the complaints of patients can often be relieved by a simple diet change.

As the scientists from the US stated at the American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting in Boston, a daily serving of strawberries (less than a cup full) can help keep the doctor away.

Unhealthy lifestyle promotes bowel disease

"The sedentary lifestyle and eating habits of many people in this country - foods high in sugar, high in animal fat but low in fiber - can boost bowel inflammation and increase the risk of IBD," the study journal "EurexAlert! University of Massachusetts Amherst.

On the other hand, it is known that eating a lot of fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower CED risk.

In order to establish an effective and practical approach to reducing inflammatory bowel inflammation in CED patients and the general population, US researchers focused on strawberries because of widespread consumption.

Already in previous study the effect of the popular fruit was examined. However, the bulk of previous research has focused on the effects of purified compounds and extracts from strawberries.

"But if you only test the purified compounds and extracts, you miss many other important components in the berries, such as fiber, as well as phenolic compounds that are attached to the fibers and can not be extracted with solvents," said Hang Xiao.

In addition, according to the scientist, it would also make sense to study the effects of whole berries, since most people consume the whole fruit and not their extracts.

Symptoms significantly reduced

The US researchers now tested the effects of strawberries in mice with inflammatory bowel disease.

For their experiment, the scientists used both diseased animals and healthy mice, which served as a control group.

The sick rodents received either a normal diet or food supplemented with a powder of freeze-dried whole strawberries.

According to study authors, eating a dose equivalent to just three quarters of a cup of strawberries per day in humans significantly reduced symptoms such as body weight loss and bloody diarrhea.

In addition, reduced under the strawberry therapy inflammatory reactions in the intestinal tissue of the animals.

Discuss nutritional change with your doctor

But that's not all: as the scientists reported, the number of harmful bacteria in the colon usually increases in chronic inflammatory bowel disease and that of the beneficial bacteria.

As part of the dietary change of the mice, however, showed a reversal effect. Both the intestinal flora and the metabolism of the animals have normalized.

Next, the team will try to validate their results in human patients.

However, "While three-quarters of a cup of strawberries a day are beneficial to those who want to improve their gut health, Xiao advises patients to consult their doctors before changing their diet," the journal "EurekAlert!".

He also recommends "avoiding this type of nutritional intervention if you are allergic to the fruit." (Ad)