Backpacker Magazine – August 2003

Blueberry Magic

Berries Prove Balance Can Be Sweet

by: Christie Aschwanden and Julie Cederborg

What hiker couldn't use a little more balance in his life? (We're talking about the kind of balance that keeps you from teetering off a log into the drink.) Fortunately, researchers may have found a yummy way to keep you steady.

A recent study from Tufts University suggests that gobbling half a cup of blueberries daily will help you improve your balance. The fruit tested high in its ability to subdue oxygen free radicals, molecules that are created when cells convert oxygen into energy. Normal amounts of free radicals rid the body of toxins, but when levels are too high, they can harm cell membranes, which affect memory, balance, and other good stuff. And while other fruits and vegetables combat free radicals, only blueberries were found to improve balance and coordination.

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