A Surprising Health Benefit of Strawberries
Unless you have an allergy, no one will deny the health benefits of strawberries. A powerful antioxidant, strawberries are rich in vitamins and help to prevent cancer. However, did you know there is new data indicating the health benefits of strawberries extend to lessen the damage of alcohol, and not just in terms of taste? It’s lucky that alcohol soaked strawberries are becoming so popular; a new study published in “Plos One” has experimental data asserting that among the numerous health benefits of strawberries is the ability to lessen the effect’s of alcohol on the stomach lining.
The Alcohol Study Measuring the Health Benefits of Strawberries Procedure
The alcohol study consisted of feeding some laboratory rats strawberries while feeding a control group of laboratory rats a regular diet free of strawberries. Specifically, the experimental lab rat group in the alcohol study were fed 40 milligrams a day for ten days. Obviously, the next step in assessing the health benefits of strawberries in the alcohol study was to give both sets of rats alcohol. While all alcohol study participants suffered damage to the stomach’s mucus membrane after ethanol was ingested, the alcohol study rats which had previously been fed strawberries suffered less damage induced by the alcohol. Therefore, these alcohol study findings have been extrapolated to predict that humans can reap these health benefits of strawberries, as well.
Why Scientists are Interested in This Health Benefit of Strawberries
Though it’s beneficial to know an additional health benefit of strawberries is less damage induced from alcohol consumption, researchers did not originally design the alcohol study for this reason alone. In an inquisition much more serious, alcohol study researchers involved in the scrutiny of health benefits associated with strawberries have unlocked a potential natural prevention of stomach ulcers. What’s even more fortunate is that alcohol study researchers are also asserting that strawberries are not only a preventative measure, but can actually help improve conditions for those suffering from stomach ulcers even after the ulcers begin to grow. Furthermore, if scientists can determine exactly what quality in strawberries makes it such a relevant health benefit for those suffering with stomach ulcers and other diseases, medication which concentrates this characteristic may drastically improve such ailments.
The rats in the alcohol study which had eaten strawberries activated antioxidants and enzymes within their own bodies. Therefore, as humans work similarly, strawberries can actually help slow down stomach ulcer growth and assist in other gastric illnesses. Alcohol was used in the study and administered to the rats merely because alcohol mimics the effects of gastric diseases. therefore, researchers working on this alcohol study could test the health benefits of strawberries without forcing a league of rats to grow stomach ulcers. That’s one point for unlocking further health benefits of strawberries, and one point in unlocking ways to do animal testing without giving lab rats horrible diseases.
WORKS CITED
“Strawberries protect the stomach from alcohol”. October 25, 2011. Web.
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-strawberries-stomach-alcohol.html.