Add a bit of Alcohol to your Fruit, Boost the Antioxidant Levels

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Fruity cocktails count as health food, study finds

Thu Apr 19, 2007.

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.

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.