Have you ever dipped a strawberry in a glass of champagne? A new study by a team of Italian, Serbian and Spanish researchers reveals thatstrawberries have an undeniable protective effect on stomachs damaged by alcohol.
To reach this conclusion, the scientists gave ethanol (ethyl alcohol) to laboratory rats and found that the gastric mucosa of those that had previously eaten strawberry extract for 10 days suffered fewer injuries, according to what they published in the journalPlos One. “The positive effects of strawberries are associated both with theirantioxidant capacity and high content of phenolic compounds (anthocyanins)as they activate the body’s own enzymes or antioxidant defenses “, Sara Tulipani, a researcher at the University of Barcelona (UB) and co-author of the work, explains to the SINC news agency.
Thegastritis or inflammation of the stomach liningIn addition to being related to alcohol consumption, it can also be caused by viral infections or by the action of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as aspirin) or those used to treat the bacteriaHelicobacter pylori. The study conclusions suggest that a diet rich in strawberries can exert a beneficial effect in the prevention of gastric diseases related to the generation of free radicals or other reactive oxygen species,attenuate the formation of stomach ulcers in humans, and alleviate the injury to the gastric mucosa once damaged.
“This work has not been proposed to alleviate the effects of a drunkenness, but to find protective molecules of the gastric mucosa against the damage that different agents can cause”, underlines Maurizio Battino, coordinator of the research group from the Polytechnic University of the Marche (Italy).
