Consuming a cup of wild blueberries daily for two weeks can help the body burn more fat during exercise, according to a new study.
The research, published recently in the journal Nutrients, is the first to examine the fat-burning effects of wild blueberries during exercise in non-elite athletes.
Fat loss with Blueberry
Attaining a higher rate of fat oxidation (FAT-ox) has various cardiometabolic benefits and when attained during exercise, endurance-based exercise performance may be enhanced. Adipose tissue, plasma triglycerides (TG), and intramuscular TGs supply fatty acids (FA) that are predominantly used for energy production during lower-intensity exercise. As exercise intensity increases, the rate of FAT-ox decreases and cannot meet fuel demands, leading to a greater reliance on glycogen sources. Unfortunately, sustained reliance on glycogen can result in glycogen depletion and lead to fatigue and decreased exercise capacity. Maximizing fat mobilization and oxidation and slowing glycogen depletion may improve performance at various exercise intensities.
Blueberries can help accelerate fat oxidation in the body
, the process by which fatty acid molecules are broken down for energy, found scientists, including those from the California Polytechnic State University in the US.
The study conductors said further research and including more participants can help verify the results and shed more light on the fat-burning effects of the berries.
The 11 healthy, aerobically trained males were instructed to follow a diet that included consuming 25 grams of freeze-dried wild blueberries each day for two weeks.
Each participant exercised on a bike for 40 minutes at Cal Poly Humboldt’s Human Performance Lab
, and their urine and blood samples were collected before and after cycling. Their blood samples were collected every 10 minutes during the workout as well.
