Juice Lowers Cholesterol

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem found thatIsraeli Jaffa Sweetie can help reduce blood cholesterol levels andincrease blood antioxidant activity. The study had 72 patients whohad elevated cholesterol levels and who had bypass surgery takingsupplements of Sweetie juice for 30 days. The participants,aged 43 to 71, were split into 3 groups of 24 each. Group 1received a daily supplement of 100 mL of the juice; group 2received 200 mL; and group 3, the control group, received none.

The results of the study, reported recently in the Journal of Agriculturaland Food Chemistry, indicated a reduction in low-densitylipoprotein ("bad") cholesterol and an increase in blood antioxidantactivity in patients in the 2 groups who drank the juice, comparedwith the control group. The patients who consumed the highestdaily supplement of juice showed a major increase in blood albuminand a decrease in blood fibrinogen levels.