Chokeberry--a bright-red and dark-purple fruit rich in antioxidants--may help protect against weight gain and keep blood sugar in check, according to a new animal study.
For the study, researchers focused on a group of rats with pre-diabetes (a condition in which blood sugar levels are abnormally high, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes). For six weeks, the rats drank either pure water or water infused with high levels of chokeberry extract. At the end of the six-week period, researchers found that chokeberry-fed rats weighed less and had less body fat than the animals that drank pure water. Compared to the control group, the chokeberry-fed rats also had lower levels of cholesterol, blood sugar, blood fats, and inflammation.
Chokeberry is high in anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant also abundant in natural remedies like bilberry, tart cherries, and elderberry.
