Recent research shows that one delicious fruit can lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure.

The research comes from Dr. Steven F. Bolling, an internationally recognized heart surgeon who has published more than 200 journal articles. He currently runs a research lab for the National Institutes of Health and leads the Department of Heart Surgery at the University of Michigan.

One of his latest studies shows that this common fruit can slash your risk of heart disease.

High levels of LDL cholesterol and high blood pressure are two known risk factors for heart disease. And after years of research, Dr. Bolling is convinced that diet – not drugs – is the solution for both.

So he began looking into foods – or extracts – that could cut these factors. He eventually touched on one fruit in particular… one that is already known for a wide array of health benefits.

Dr. Bolling put his theory to the test. He split rats that are especially prone to obesity into two groups. One group consumed a high-fat diet while the other group received a low-fat diet. Both groups got a powdered extract of the fruit he was testing.

After three months, both groups of rats had lower cholesterol, triglyceride and blood pressure levels.

“The benefits of eating fruits have been well-researched,” says Dr. Bolling. But he says one specific fruit is especially helpful against heart disease. That fruit is blueberries. And according to Dr. Bolling, just one cup a week tackles three major factors in the development of heart disease.

Lower Your Blood Pressure by Up to 10 Percent – Naturally

Dr. Bolling’s research was also reviewed by cardiologist Dr. Elizabeth Klodas. She’s convinced that his research offers hope for heart health.

That’s because she’s also been conducting research on blueberries and heart health. Her study was recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. And while the studies were independent… their findings support one another.

Dr. Klodas’s research followed the dietary habits of 150,000 adults over 14 years. She found that those who ate blueberries on a weekly basis had, on average, significantly fewer heart-related incidents and 10 percent lower blood pressure levels.

Researchers believe that the blood-pressure-lowering ability of blueberries comes from anthocyanins. These are the compounds that give the fruits their vivid blue and purple colors. And not only do they help the blood vessels to relax, studies also show that anthocyanins can reduce inflammation in the body and cause triglyceride levels to fall.

Dr. Klodas’s study also showed that blueberries in the diet helped to achieve these results even in study participants who:

• Had a family history of heart disease,
• Didn’t exercise regularly, and
• Ate a high-fat diet.

If just a handful of these tasty berries can open your blood vessels and reduce inflammation, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels… then this is good news indeed.

The Key to Heart Health in a Weekly Cup of Berries

You should aim to eat a cup of blueberries each week. And if you opt for wild, organic berries, you’ll enjoy even greater benefits.

Not only will you avoid the pesticides that are used on conventional crops, but a USDA study found that wild, organic blueberries offered 48 percent more antioxidant power than cultivated blueberries.

And believe it or not… some wild, organic blueberries are less expensive than cultivated blueberries. In fact, Costco carries frozen wild blueberries from Wyman’s of Maine in a 3-pound bag for about $12.

Of course, there are many other all-natural ways to strengthen your heart. Our health research team has uncovered:

• One all-natural supplement that’s more effective than statin drugs (and without the risks)…
• One specific food group – backed by findings from the National Institutes of Health – that reduces heart disease risk by 15 percent in just three months…
• And a Harvard study that shows how one type of exercise drastically slashes heart disease risk.

Find out how you can learn these safe, effective methods for combating heart disease by reading the short letter here.