Berry Power: Keep your joints and muscles ready for action

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Benefits of Berries

It’s hard to beat the colors, flavors, and amazing health benefits of berries! Whether you favor cranberries, strawberries, bilberries, or even Saskatoon berries, these little powerhouses can help keep your muscles and joints ready for action. Here are four reasons to add berries to your spring menu.

  1. Muscle recovery. Researchers at Massey University in New Zealand found that athletes who drank a blueberry smoothie before and after exercising needed less time for their muscles to recover.[1] It turns out that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of blueberries helps restore muscle strength faster, making back to back training sessions easier.*
  2. Maintain Healthy Joints . Thanks to their high seed count, raspberries provide 461 mg of joint-friendly omega-3 and -6 polyunsaturated fatty acids per cup.[2] Polyphenols in other berries, including Saskatoons, cherries, and blueberries, can help support healthy joint function.*
  3. Muscle cramps. When your diet is low in potassium, calcium, or magnesium, you’re more susceptible to muscle cramps. A regular dose of berries can help prevent such cramps by replenishing key minerals. For example, one cup of blackberries delivers 233 mg of potassium, 29 mg of magnesium, and 42 mg of calcium.2
  4. Oxidative stress. Whether it’s due to intense bouts of exercise, your environment, or natural aging, your cells deal with oxidative stress every day. Thankfully berries are loaded with antioxidants that help protect your muscles, joints, and many other tissues from the unstable free radicals that cause oxidative stress.*

Add berries and PGX® Granules to your next smoothie for a filling nutrient rich treat! Leave your muscle and joint-friendly tips in the comments section below.

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* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

[1] McLeay, Yanita et al. “Effects of New Zealand Blueberry Consumption Recovery from Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 9.19 (2012): Web. 15 April 2015.

[2] USDA. “National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 27.” Agricultural Research Service. Web. 15 April 2015.