An Antioxidant Powerhouse

The Alaska Wild Blueberry  averages an ORAC* rating of 10 times higher than the blueberries talked about in these articles.
*ORAC is a measure of antioxidant levels.
Health Benefits of Blueberries…

An Antioxidant Powerhouse

Packed with antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanidins, blueberries neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues that can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, heart disease and cancer. Anthocyanins, the blue-red pigments
found in blueberries, improve the integrity of support structures in the veins and entire vascular system. Anthocyanins have been shown to enhance the effects of vitamin C, improve capillary integrity, and stabilize the collagen matrix (the ground substance of all body tissues). They work
their protective magic by preventing free-radical damage, inhibiting enzymes from cleaving the collagen matrix, and directly cross-linking with collagen fibers to form a more stable collagen matrix.

Cardioprotective Action
While wine, particularly red wine, is touted as cardioprotective since it is a good source of antioxidant anthocyanins, a recent study found that blueberries deliver 38% more of these free radical fighters. In this study, published in the August 2003 issue of the Journal of Agriculture and
Food Chemistry, researchers found that a moderate drink (about 4 ounces) of white wine contained .47 mmol of free radical absorbing antioxidants, red wine provided 2.04 mmol, and a wine made from highbush blueberries delivered 2.42 mmol of these protective plant compounds.

(October 1, 2003)
Cholesterol-lowering Pterostilbene Pterostilbene (pronounced TARE-oh-STILL-bean), a powerful antioxidant compound found in
blueberries, which is already known to fight cancer, may also help lower cholesterol.

In a study using rat liver cells, scientists at the USDA Agricultural Research Service compared the cholesterol-lowering effects of pterostilbene to those of ciprofibrate, a lipid-lowering drug, and resveratrol, an ant ioxidant found in grapes with a chemical structure similar to pterostilbene that
has been shown to help fight cancer and heart disease.  They based their comparison on each compound's ability to activate PPAR-alpha (short for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha). The PPARs are a family of receptors on cells all throughout the body that are involved in the absorption of compounds into cells for use in energy production. PPAR-alpha is crucial for the metabolism of lipids, including cholesterol.
Pterostilbene was as effective as ciprofibrate and outperformed resveratrol in activating PPARalpha. The take away message: turn up your cholesterol burning machinery by eating more blueberries, grapes and and cranberries. (January 14, 2005)