Good news for women who love snacking on berries--a study featured on MedicalNewsToday.com reveals that consuming three or more servings of these tasty treats a week may help reduce the risk of heart attack.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in the US and the University of East Anglia in the UK reviewed data from 93,600 women ages 25 to 42. The questions that were presented probed into diets and eating behaviors of the participants every four years for 18 years.

For the duration of the investigation, 405 heart attacks have been tallied, but women who included a good amount of blueberries and strawberries in their diet managed to lower their risk by as much as a third--that’s 32 percent less compared to women who didn’t eat berries and even to those who consumed more of other fruits and vegetables.

Berries contain high levels of dietary flavonoids, specifically that of a sub-class called anthocyanins, which have been known to prevent plaque build-up in arteries as well as other cardiovascular conditions. Anthocyanins also help in lowering risks of cancer, as well as cardiovascular and several neurological diseases.

Although strawberries and blueberries may be a bit expensive at times, it’s a good investment to start including them in your diet, as every peso you’ll spend will definitely be worth it. As senior study author Eric Rimm D.Sc., concludes, “This simple dietary change could have a significant impact on prevention efforts.”

(Photo by Janine via Flickr Creative Commons)