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Research has found that daily consumption of blueberries helps increase the amount of fat burned during physical exercise.
A new study published in Nutrients found that eating 25 grams of freeze-dried blueberries a day — the equivalent of a cup of natural blueberries — can improve athletic performance and help burn more fat during exercise.
Research sought to find out whether a concentrated amount of blueberries can help speed up the fat oxidation process that the body initiates during exercise. Blueberries have high levels of an antioxidant called anthocyaninwhich has already been associated in several recent studies with greater fat burning.
The research sample included 11 healthy male cyclists who had to complete a questionnaire about their health and practice 40 minutes of cycling moderate. The scientists collected blood samples by pricking the volunteers’ fingers every 10 minutes during the activity.
The cyclists consumed after 25 grams of blueberry powder lyophilized daily, containing 375 grams of anthocyanins, over two weeks. The participants then repeated the 40-minute cycling exercise and blood samples were taken again, writes the new york post.
The results showed that 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. This suggests that the athletes burned more fat after starting to eat blueberries daily.
Blueberries can also help muscles maintain levels of glycogen, the body’s main source of energy, which helps the body to exercise longer.
The scientists also found that blood lactate levels, a sign of fatigue, significantly reduced after consuming blueberries. This superfruit can also help to fight stressas it has high levels of antioxidants and vitamin C, which reduce anxiety.
ZAP // 
