Text 14375, 36 rader
Skriven 2007-04-21 00:54:14 av CAROL BRYANT (1:123/140)
Ärende: WOOHOO!!
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Pass the strawberry margaritas!!!

Fruity cocktails count as health food, study finds
 
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- A fruity cocktail may not only be fun to drink but
may count as health food, U.S. and Thai researchers say.

Adding ethanol -- the type of alcohol found in rum, vodka, tequila and
other spirits -- boosted the antioxidant nutrients in strawberries and
blackberries, the researchers found.

Any colored fruit might be made even more healthful with the addition of a
splash of alcohol, they report in the Journal of the Science of Food and
Agriculture.

Dr. Korakot Chanjirakul and colleagues at Kasetsart University in Thailand
and scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture stumbled upon their
finding unexpectedly.

They were exploring ways to help keep strawberries fresh during storage.
Treating the berries with alcohol increased in antioxidant capacity and
free radical scavenging activity, they found.

Any colored fruit or vegetable is rich in antioxidants, which are chemicals
that can cancel out the cell-damaging effects of compounds called free
radicals.

Berries, for instance, contain compounds known as polyphenols and
anthocyanins. People who eat more of these fruits and vegetables have a
documented lower risk of cancer, heart disease and some neurological
diseases.

The study did not address whether adding a little cocktail umbrella
enhanced the effects
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