Thu Apr 19, 7:41 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A fruity cocktail may not only be fun to
drink but may count as health food, U.S. and Thai researchers said
on Thursday.
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.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070419/hl_nm/nutrition_cocktails_dc
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Gives you all alcoholics an excuse to eat your fruit with alcohal
