October 25/London/Daily Mail -- A daily serving of strawberries could help to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, new research has shown.

The study, carried out at the University of Oklahoma, found that people who ate strawberries for eight weeks had reduced markers for atherosclerosis, or furring up of the arteries.

The research was carried out on patients with metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes and heart disease.

They were each given four cups of a drink made from 50g of freeze-dried strawberries with water (the equivalent of three cups of fresh strawberries).

At the end of the study, their levels of bad LDL cholesterol had dropped by more than 10% while their levels of another compound linked to a higher risk of furred-up arteries went down by nearly 20%.

Strawberries are thought to have a potent antioxidant effect.

From the November 1, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition