Ethanol increases antioxidant availability of fruit

[Guest guest]

This ought to make my husband happy ;-)

-Diane

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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./s/nm/20070419/hl_nm/nutrition_cocktails_dc