Helps maintain existing healthy cholesterol levels. MonaVie Pulse delivers added heart health benefits derived from phytosterols also called- plant sterols* (which studies suggest play a key factor in lowering cholesterol), Resveratrol® and Omega 3 fatty acids. Scientifically formulated with your heart in mind, this delicious formula offers key nutritional support to those watching their cholesterol.

*Foods containing at least 0.4 grams per serving of plant sterols, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 grams and as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Two servings (4 ounces) of MonaVie Pulse contain 0.8 grams of plant sterols.

Phytosterols may prevent cancer

development: Review

 

 Phytosterols, commonly consumed to reduce cholesterol levels, may also “potentially prevent cancer development”, according to a new review of all the science.

The ingredients may work via the traditional route of reducing cholesterol, particularly in the membrane of cancer cells, and by activating an enzyme called caspase which is known to play an essential role in programmed cell death (apoptosis).

“This combined evidence strongly supports an anticarcinogenic action of phytosterols and hence advocates their dietary inclusion as an important strategy in prevention and treatment of cancer,” wrote the reviewers from the Department of Animal Science and the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, at the University of Manitoba. Numerous clinical trials in controlled settings have reported that daily consumption of 1.5 to 3 grams of phytosterols/-stanols from foods can reduce total cholesterol levels by eight to 17 per cent, representing a significant reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease. Peter Jones and his colleagues stated that phytosterols may be linked to increased activity of caspase enzymes. This is achieved by the sterols being incorporated into the cell membranes, resulting in changes to the structure and function of the membranes. These changes ultimately result in an activation of caspase enzymes, said the researchers.   A second potential mechanism could also involve the sterols ‘traditional’ modus operandi of reducing blood cholesterol. “High blood cholesterol level and hence the concentration of cholesterol in lipid rafts of cell membranes are associated with reduced apoptosis of cancer cells,” they said.    Saftey concerns at a recommended daily intake level of two grams appear unfounded, added the researchers, noting that such a dose “does not cause any major health risks”.  “Mounting evidence supports a role for phytosterols in protecting against cancer development,” wrote the researchers.  “Hence, phytosterols could be incorporated in diet not only to lower the cardiovascular disease risk, but also to potentially prevent cancer development,” they concluded.

 Source: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume 63, Pages 813-820, doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.29
“Anticancer effects of phytosterols”
Authors: T.A. Woyengo, V.R. Ramprasath, P.J.H. Jones

Resveratrol could prove Hormone

Replacement Therapy /HRT/ alternative

By Jane Byrne , 23-Nov-2009

 Treatment based on resveratrol could be a safer alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women and could help prevent breast cancer, according to a new study. The findings of a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry indicate that reveratrol  is the most likely candidate of the phytoestrogens to offer safer  and chemoprevention of breast cancer due to its estrogenic activity and high antitumor activity. Phytoestrogens are natural plant substances found in food that exert weak estrogen-like activity toward mammals, such as daidzein, genistein and glycitein found in soybeans and soy products, coumestrol in mung bean and alfalfa sprouts and resveratrol in grape skins and red wine.

Conflicting views

According to the authors, estrogens with or without progestin have been used for HRT in postmenopausal women, but they increase the risk of breast cancer, and they report that in recent years, phytoestrogen supplements such as extracts from soy and red clover have become attractive as safer alternatives, with their efficacy investigated in clinical trials.

The researchers said that, as a result, the aim of this study was to assess the estrogen-like effects and antitumor effects of individual dietary phytoestrogens by analyzing their effects on tumor cell growth, cell cycle and apoptosis (programmed cell death).

Results

While genistein, resveratrol and glycitein all increased apoptosis and reduced the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, resveratrol reduced this ratio more than either genistein or glycitein, found the researchers. “Because it (resveratrol) stimulated the transcription of endogenous estrogen receptor (ER) and proapoptotic effects, this phytoestrogen is the most promising candidate as an HRT alternative and chemopreventive reagent for breast cancer,” they concluded. The researchers added that their results indicated that daidzein causes a slight cell-stimulating effect in the absence of E2, which may lead to an increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women taking supplements containing these phytoestrogens. The authors said that further research is needed to understand the mechanism by which resveratrol represses cell growth.

Source: Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
Published online ahead of print: doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2009.06.010
Title: Effects of diverse dietary phytoestrogens on cell growth, cell cycle and apoptosis in estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer cells
Authors: T Sakamoto, H Horiguchi, E Oguma, F Kayama

 The fruits of Pulse include: acai, acerola, apple, aronia, bilberry, blackberry, camu camu, capuacu, cherry, concord grape, cranberry, elderberry, pineapple, pomegranate, prickly pear, raspberry, strawberry, yumberry

 

Acai Berry /OptiAcai®/ patent # 7,563,465/.

With 15 times the antioxidants of grapes and twice the antioxidants of blueberries, the Brazilian Acai berry (AH-sci-EE) is considered to have the best nutritional value of any fruit on earth.

 With the symmetry of a grape and the size of a giant blueberry, the Acai fruit tastes a bit like wild raspberry with a hint of grape. Most people have trouble putting their finger on the taste because it's so different.

The Acai Berry is a dense source of a particular class of flavonoids called anthocyanins. Acai Berry's ORAC value (a measure of its antioxidant properties), is higher than any other edible berry on the planet.

The Acai Palm is a tall slender South American (concentrated in Brazil, Guyana, Suriname) palm grown for its fruit as well as for the "cabbage" (the cluster of new leaves more commonly called the "heart of palm"). It prefers swampy areas, and grows quickly. The fronds were (and still are) used for thatching and weaving. Each Acai palm tree produces small deep purple, almost black, fruit (berries) in groups of 3-8 per bunch. The fruit is edible, and its pulp is used in wines, liqueurs, as flavoring, as colorant, and on its own as a juice.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate fruit is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and was cultivated and naturalized over the whole Mediterranean region since ancient times. It is widely cultivated throughout India and the drier parts of southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa. The tree was introduced into California by Spanish settlers in 1769. In this country it is grown for its fruits mainly in the drier parts of California and Arizona.

The pomegranate is one of the oldest fruits as well as richest in history and folklore. Once you get past the multitude of seeds, its juice is tangy, sweet, rich and flavorful. This juice becomes the base for sauces and flavorings for drinks, savory dishes, and sweets, while the whole seeds are a simple delight eaten fresh or used as a colorful accent as a garnish. The fruit is about the size of an orange. The rind color can range from yellow-orange to deep reddish-purple.

Pomegranates contain polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins.

Every pomegranate is composed of many seeds, each surrounded by a sac of sweet-tart juice contained by a thin skin. The seeds are compacted in a layer resembling honeycomb around the core. The layers of seeds are separated by paper-thin white membranes which are bitter to the tongue. The inner membranes and rind are not generally eaten due to high tannic acid content, but they are useful as a skin wash.

Science /please visit the Research page as well/

 

 Pomegranate extract shows joint health potential

 

 An extract from pomegranate may suppress the inflammation and damage in joints linked to arthritis, if results from an animal study can be repeated in humans.

The onset and severity of arthritis was delayed and reduced in mice models, according to findings published online ahead of print in the journal Nutrition. The study adds to the joint health science of the fruit, with previous reports indicating pomegranate extracts may block enzymes that contribute to cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis.

 "The results of these translational studies and studies reported previously together provide strong and compelling evidence to support further clinical testing of pomegranate extract for the prevention of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis," wrote lead author Meenakshi Shukla from Case Western Reserve University and the University Hospitals of Cleveland.

Twenty-four animals were divided into three equal groups and assigned to receive a standard diet with water (control), water plus 13.6 mg per kg of POMx, or water plus 34 mg per kg of POMx for ten days prior to the induction of the arthritis using collagen. The severity of arthritis was significantly decreased in the animals receiving POMx, with a reduction of 69.2 and 76 per cent in the groups consuming 13.6 and 34 mg per kg of POMx, respectively.

 Moreover, POMx was associated with a decrease in the incidence of arthritis, with all the animals in the control group developing the condition, but only 70 and 60 per cent of animals in the 13.6 and 34 mg per kg of POMx groups, respectively. The average number of days for arthritis to develop after the collagen treatment was delayed in both groups receiving pomegranate with their drinking water, increasing from about 34 days in the control group to 46 and 43.5 days in the 13.6 and 34 mg per kg of POMx groups, respectively. Furthermore, damage to the joints, measured by levels of nitric oxide in the joints, was reduced. The findings were published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (November 2007, Vol. 55, pp.10050-10054).

 Source: Nutrition (Elsevier) Published online ahead of print 19 May 2008, doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2008.03.013

 "Consumption of hydrolyzable tannins-rich pomegranate extract suppresses inflammation and joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis" Authors: M. Shukla, K. Gupta, Z. Rasheed, K.A. Khan, T.M. Haqqi

Bilberry

Bilberry is a shrubby perennial that grows mostly in the forests of Europe.

The active constituents that comprise this herbal extract are called anthocyanosides, which are flavonoids that harbor powerful antioxidant properties.

Blueberry

Blueberries are not only a powerful antioxidant but also high in compounds called anthocyanosides.

There are types of blueberries and the most potent ones are Bilberries, as they have the virtuous pigment in their flesh as well as in their skin, thus they pack a greater anthocyanin wallop. Wild blueberries are also high on the list because they contain less water. All blueberries are very rich with antioxidants.

Cranberry

Cranberry is a relatively small, red berry, which grows on low-hanging vines in temperate zones in many regions of the United States and other parts of the world.

Cranberry can be taken as a juice or the whole berry or from an extract of these.

Cupuacu

Sometimes referred to as a "pharmacy in a fruit," cupuacu is an excellent source of vitamins C and A. Cupuacu is also rich in vitamins B1, B2 and B3 (Niacin), as well as fatty acids and amino acids.

In addition to excellent health benefits, cupuacu is considered a tasty treat by many, with a flavor often compared to chocolate, banana and melon.

Aronia

Aronia is also known as the chokeberry.

Aronia juice contains very high levels of anthocyanins (source of red color) and flavonoids. Levels of anthocyanins and flavonoids are over five times greater than those found in cranberries. Aronia has also been reported to contain antioxidants, polyphenols, minerals and vitamins.

Aronia (Photinia melanocarpa), is a native American bush that has been successfully exported to Eastern Europe and is commercially grown in Denmark, Poland, Russia and elsewhere. It produces white to pinkish-white flowers in April through June (depends on location) and fruits in September through November. It has glossy, pea-sized, violet-black berries harvested in late summer. They have a strong, stable, staining natural color.

Camu Camu

Camu-camu is a low-growing shrub found throughout the Amazon rainforest, mainly in swampy or flooded areas. It grows to a height of about 2-3 m and has large, feathery leaves. It produces round, light orange-colored fruits about the size of lemons, which contain a significant amount of vitamin C.

It's high vitamin C content has created a demand for camu-camu fruit in the natural products market. Some groups are now beginning to study cultivation methods for this important new rainforest resource, which is still harvested wild throughout the Amazon region.

Acerola

Acerola (Malphighia punicifolia L.) is a small tree or shrub that grows up to 5 m high in the dry, deciduous forest. It produces an abundance of bright red fruit 1-2 cm in diameter, with several small seeds that look similar to the European cherry. For this reason, acerola is also known as the Antilles, Barbados, Puerto Rican, or West Indian cherry tree.

The mature fruits are juicy and soft with a pleasant, tart flavor. Acerola can be found growing wild and under cultivation on the sandy soils throughout northeastern Brazil. It is native to northern South America, Central America, and Jamaica. Its cousin, M. punicifolia, is present as far north as Florida and Texas.  In North America, acerola is used for its high content of vitamin C. Dried acerola fruit extracts can now be found in tablet form and as an ingredient in many over-the-counter multivitamin products in the United States as a natural form of vitamin C.

Banana

Bananas Contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt.

The banana is full of proteins, and the sugar provided gives a lot of energy to those practicing sports requiring endurance. Moreover, it contains magnesium, selenium, iron, a lot of vitamins, and is recommended for salt-free diets because of its low contents in sodium chloridium.

The banana plant is not a tree, but a giant herb of the same family as lilies, orchids and palms. There are about 400 varieties of bananas. The rhizome is planted and gives a first shoot 3 or 4 weeks later. After 9 to 10 months the inflorescence from the foliated circlet has a diameter that can be as large as 7 meters. Three days after that, a bud hangs on the plant. On the fifth day, the bud turns red and starts opening. On the seventh day the leafs who covered it are falling down and finally two days later you can already see the first banana hands.The trunk of a banana plant is made of sheaths of overlapping leaves, tightly wrapped around each other like stalks in a celery bunch.

The word banana is derivated from the Arabic meaning 'finger'.

Pear

Pears offer a good source of vitamin C, folate, and dietary fiber. One medium-sized Pear contains less than 100 calories. Most of the vitamin C in Pears is in the skin, so they should be eaten unpeeled. Pears provide some iron and potassium.

Our food ranking system also qualified pears as a good source of vitamin C and copper. Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant in all water-soluble areas of the body.

 

 

Concord Grape

 Concord grapes are a cultivar derived from the grape species Vitis Labrusca (a.k.a. fox grape) which are used as table wine, wine grapes and juice grapes.

The skin of a Concord grape is typically dark blue or purple, and often is covered with a lighter colored "bloom" which can be rubbed off. It is a slip-skin variety, meaning that the skin is easily separated from the fruit. Concord grapes have large seeds and are highly aromatic. They are often used to make grape jelly, grape juice, grape-flavored soft drinks, and candy. The grape is sometimes used to make wine, particularly kosher wine, though it is not generally favored for that purpose due to the strong "foxy" (sometimes described as candied-strawberry/musky) flavor. Traditionally, most commercially produced Concord wines have been finished sweet, but dry versions are possible if adequate fruit ripeness is achieved.

 

One of the earliest commercial uses for Concord grapes was juice. In fact, Concord grapes were among the first fruits to be commercially juiced and pasteurized so that they would not ferment, creating a non-alcoholic fruit juice product. Concord grape juice was initially introduced as an alternative to communion wine, although it quickly spread to the rest of the populace as well. The dark, tart juice continues to be produced in high volume, along with products like jam and grape flavoring for sweets.

The purple to black grapes have excellent nutritional value, since they harbor antioxidants  and useful vitamins and minerals. For this reason, many consumers like to eat Concord grapes as straight table grapes, when they are available. Unsweetened juices are also a good source of nutrition, or those blended with the juice of sweeter fruits to make a flavorful juice cocktail without added sugars. Concord grapes are also a good vegetable source of calcium.

Concord grapes contain an abundance of natural plant nutrients called polyphenols and, in particular, a subgroup of polyphenols called flavonoids. For example, research suggests that 100% grape juice made from Concord grapes helps promote the flexibility of your arteries - which helps improve circulation and allows for greater blood flow when you need it.  This contributes to healthy blood pressure.*  *Stein JH, Keevil JG, Wiebe DA, Aeschlimann S and Folts JD. Purple grape juice improves endothelial function and reduces the susceptibility of LDL cholesterol to oxidation in patients with coronary artery disease. Circulation. 1999. 100(10):1050-1055.

*Chou EJ, Keevil JG, Aeschlimann S, Wiebe DA, Folts JD and Stein JH. Effect of ingestion of purple grape juice on endothelial function in patients with coronary heart disease. Am J Cardiol. 2001. 88(5):553-555.         

*Anselm E, Chataigneau M, Ndiaye M, Chataigneau T and Schini-Kerth VB. Grape juice causes endothelium-dependent relaxation via a redox-sensitive Src- and Akt-dependent activation of eNOS. Cardiovasc Res. 2007. 73(2):404-413.

 

Yumberry

 Yumberries (the new name for yang-mei fruit) have been grown and enjoyed in China for thousands of years. They look a little bit like a raspberry with a sweet-sour flavor similar to cranberry and pomegranate juice. Their texture is unique -- slightly stringy like the flesh of citrus fruit -- with a pit in the center.

Yumberries are rich in oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC), which are antioxidants that give the fruit their color. These powerful compounds may:

• Fight free radicals. OPC is said to fight oxidation 50 times better than vitamin E and 20 times better than vitamin C.

• Reduce your blood pressure and protect your heart health.

• Lower bad (LDL) cholesterol.

• Protect your eyesight and reduce your risk of cataracts.

• Strengthen your cell membranes.

• Fight inflammation and associated diseases such as arthritis.

Yumberries are also said to help clear up hard-to-digest food in your stomach, cure stomachaches and "dispel summer heat." They have been used since ancient times in China for medicinal purposes, and as early as the 16th century, the well-known herbal pharmacologist Li Shi Zhen said that yumberries could:

"Eliminate sputum, stop vomiting, helpful to digestion and alcoholic drinking ... quench thirst, conciliate the five internal organs, cleanse stomach and intestines, remove the muddleheaded ... and be efficacious to cure diarrhea."

 

Anthocyanins linked to

improved cholesterol levels

Increased intakes of antioxidant anthocyanins may improve levels of HDL and LDL cholesterol, according to results of a new human study with 120 people.

Consumption of berry-derived anthocyanin supplements resulted in a 13.7 per cent increase in levels of HDL cholesterol, and a 13.6 per cent reduction in levels LDL cholesterol, according to findings published online ahead of print in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Chinese scientists from Sun Yat-Sen University randomly assigned 120 people aged between 40 and 65 with abnormal blood lipid levels (dyslipidemia) to receive either a daily dose of 320 mg of anthocyannisor placebo for 12 weeks. The study builds on earlier results form animal studies, which showed beneficial effects of the antioxidant compounds on lipid levels. High cholesterol levels, hypercholesterolaemia, have a long association with many diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD), the cause of almost 50 per cent of deaths in Europe, and reported to cost the EU economy an estimated €169bn ($202bn) per year.

Using a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial design, the Chinese researchers studied the effects of a twice daily dose of 160 mg anthocyanins on the lipid levels of the participants. After 12 weeks of supplementation, HDL cholesterol levels increased by almost 14 per cent in the anthocyanin group, compared to a rise of only 2.8 per cent in the placebo group. Furthermore, LDL cholesterol levels decreased by 13.6 per cent in the anthocyanin group, compared to an increase of 0.6 per cent in the placebo group.  The removal of cholesterol from cells, the so-called cellular cholesterol efflux, was found to increase by 20 per cent in the anthocyanin group, compared to a 0.2 per cent in the placebo group.

In terms of the potential mechanism, the activity of a protein called plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) was studied. CETP works by collecting triglycerides from LDL and exchanging them for cholesteryl esters from HDL, and also the reverse. Supplements of the anthocyanins was found to reduce the activity of CETP by 6.3 per cent, while CETP activity fell by only 1.1 per cent in the placebo group, said the researchers.

“The change in HDL cholesterol was negatively correlated with the change in CETP activity,” they wrote. “The change in LDL cholesterol was positively correlated with the change in CETP mass,” they added.

“Anthocyanin supplementation in humans improves LDL- and HDL-cholesterol concentrations and enhances the cellular cholesterol efflux to serum,” wrote the researchers. “These benefits may be due to the inhibition of CETP,” they concluded.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Published online ahead of press, doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27814
“Anthocyanin supplementation improves serum LDL- and HDL-cholesterol concentrations associated with the inhibition ofcholesteryl ester transfer protein in dyslipidemic subjects”

 

Authors: Y. Qin, M. Xia, J. Ma, Y. Hao, J. Liu, H. Mou, L. Cao, W. Ling 

 

 

 Antioxidant-rich juices boost heart health: Study

By Stephen Daniells, 07-Sep-2009

 Measures of atherosclerosis were reduced in hamsters with high cholesterol levels following consumption of raspberry, strawberry and bilberry juices and green and black tea, with the benefits were significantly greater for raspberry and green tea, according to findings published in the journal Food Chemistry.

Consuming the equivalent of 275 ml by a 70 kg human led to reductions in fat deposits in the aorta of up to 96 per cent after 12 weeks, report researchers from the University of Montpellier 2, the University of Parma, and the University of Glasgow. “These findings suggest that moderate consumption of berry juices and teas can help prevent the development of early atherosclerosis,” wrote the researchers, led by Montpellier’s Jean-Max Rouanet. We have demonstrated that berry juices and teas fed to hamsters under atherogenic diet are able to facilitate a very strong inhibition of aortic fatty streaks deposition,” said the researchers. “These effects are physiologically relevant as they were induced by a daily supplement equivalent to 275 ml of beverage consumed on a daily base by a 70 kg human.” “Thus, polyphenol-rich berry juices and green and black tea intake may be of significant relevance to clinical and public health,” they concluded.

Source: Food Chemistry
Volume 118, Issue 2, Pages 266-271
“Berry juices, teas, antioxidants and the prevention of atherosclerosis in hamsters”
Authors: J.-M. Rouanet, K. Décordé, D. Del Rio, C. Auger, G. Borges, J.-P. Cristol, M.E.J. Lean, A. Crozier