ABSTRACT
Berry fruits, a rich source of micronutrients and several bioactive phytochemicals, have been recognized among all fruits and vegetables for their distinct cardiovascular health benets (Neto 2007; Basu et al. 2010a,b). Strawberries are among the most popular fresh fruits produced and consumed in the United States, followed by blueberries, whereas cranberries as juice and juice blends are also popular sources of phytochemicals in the U.S. diet (Neto 2007; Boriss et al. 2010). The antioxidant properties of these berry fruits have been well documented in various in vitro, animal, and human studies, although the observed cardiovascular effects have been explained by mechanisms beyond antioxidant activity (Scalbert et al. 2005). In comparative analyses of commonly consumed polyphenol-rich beverages in the United States, blueberry juice and cranberry juice were listed among the top 10 beverages of high antioxidant potency measured as the sum of four assays (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical, oxygen radical absorbance capacity, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, and ferric reducing ability of plasma); strawberries were not included as a popular beverage in this study (Seeram et al. 2008). In another paper comparing the antioxidant properties of fresh fruits as determined by cellular antioxidant activity (CAA), blueberries were shown to have the highest CAA values, whereas apples and strawberries were the largest contributors of CAA to the U.S. diet (Wolfe et al. 2008). In a recently reported study identifying food sources and supplements of antioxidant activity in the U.S. diet, blueberries, strawberries, and cranberry juice drink were among the top major food items consumed by U.S. adults (Yang et al. 2011).
