The black raspberry may be one of the reason why Barrett’s Esophagus patients can use to stay strong and prevent their heartburn acid reflect condition from turning into cancer, health professionals said.
According to the National Institutes of Health, Barrett’s Esophagus is a condition which the esophagus changes so that some of its lining is replaced by a type of tissue similar to that normally found in the intestine. The condition usually starts as heartburn acid reflux problem which affects about 700,000 Americans.
For more than 10 years, Danny Harris has struggled with heartburn after he eats. He learned his reflux had turned into Barrett’s Esophagus, and that an interesting thing happened when he ate black raspberries.
“I really didn’t have any flare-ups or episodes after I had taken the berries,” he said.
Harris was part of a new study led by a research team at Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. For six months, he and other Barrett’s Esophagus patients drank a black raspberry powder and water mix.
The study said that the black raspberry actually helped many patients to reverse the negative impact of the reflux acid. Nearly every four in 10 patients saw a boost in a protective enzyme and six in 10 saw a decline in oxidative stress, which can cause cell damage, researchers said.
Researchers said they believe the fruit’s combination of nutrients gives it super healing power.
“They’re really strong antioxidants. They’re also a good source of multi-vitamins and minerals,” Dr. Laura Kresty of Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center said.
A larger study is likely the next step to see if black raspberries yield more positive results for patients with Barrett’s Esophagus, officials said.
