Barberry juice found to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in diabetic patients

Move over goji berries, the time to recognize the healing powers of the barberry has come. Barberries, which look similar to goji berries, are a nutrient powerhouse all their own, and scientists are just beginning to understand the full scope of what these little berries can do. For people with diabetes, the protective benefits of barberry are especially pronounced. Recent research demonstrates that regular supplementation with barberry juice can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes. For diabetics, this is big news, as diabetes and heart disease so often go hand-in-hand.

Barberry could be the next big thing in natural medicine; there have been many reports of new studies showcasing the fruit’s miraculous health benefits. What else can this humble fruit do?

Protective benefits of barberry juice

A team of researchers from an array of universities located in Tehran, Iran recently set out to investigate the protective benefits of barberry, and their findings were recently published in the journal, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. Forty-six diabetic patients were recruited for the study. They were divided into two groups: One group consuming 200 mL of burberry juice a day for eight weeks, while the other received no intervention at all. Blood pressure and biochemical markers were measured at the study’ onset, as well as at its conclusion.

The researchers report that at the study’s end, members of the burberry juice group exhibited substantial reductions in their blood levels of fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. A significant decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was seen as well.

In their conclusion, the team stated, “This study revealed that BJ might decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases in patients with diabetes.”

The many health benefit of barberry

Barberry has a rich history in natural medicine. In fact, according to Healthy Beginnings, this humble fruit has been used as a medicinal herb for centuries, from ancient Egypt to medieval Europe. Among its many uses, scientific studies have shown that the plant’s primary active compound, berberine, is astringent, anesthetic, antibacterial, and anticonvulsant. Indeed, the plant has seen many uses, from treating sore throats, to being taken as a simple tonic.

Recent research has also shown that barberry may help prevent the formation of kidney stones. As Natural News writer Rhonda Johansson reports, “The extract of the desert barberry (Berberis trifoliata) was studied and found to be an effective alternative treatment for the reduction of the formation of stones in the bladder or urinary tract.”

The barberry is also native to North America, making it one of the continent’s top medicinal plants. As reported,”[T]his genus of evergreen and deciduous shrubs is known for their berberine content. Berberine is a useful compound that’s known for its potent antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. It’s primarily because of berberine that barberry can provide relief from infectious gut diseases like dysentery, an intestinal infection that results in severe diarrhea. The root is best for this use, and can be taken as a tea or tincture.”

You can learn more about the power of barberry and other healing fruits, roots and more at Food.news.

Sources for this article include:

ScienceDirect.com

HBMag.com

NIDDK.NIH.gov