The research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was made by the National Public Health Institute in Helsinki. It said taking in different kinds of berries increases the level of good cholesterols in the body, which provides protection for the heart by 5 percent.
According to the research team, "A one percent decrease in heart attacks and strokes is seen for each one percent increase in HDL cholesterol, so a five percent increase is meaningful. For blood pressure, the decrease would reduce deaths by five to six percent."
When Finns started to increase their intake of berries since 1969, a 75 percent drop in death rates caused by heart diseases was observed in Finland.
Britons may benefit by eating more berries in moderation since 270,000 Britons have suffered a heart attack annually, 16 million have high blood pressures and 50 percent have high bad cholesterol.
