Women who regularly eat plenty of strawberries and blueberries may have a decreased risk of suffering a heart attack, a new study suggests.

UK and US scientists looked at over 93,000 women aged between 25 and 42 over an 18-year period. During this time, over 400 women had heart attacks.

The study found that those who ate three or more servings per week of the fruits had fewer heart attacks.

Overall, those who ate the most strawberries and blueberries had a 32% reduced risk of suffering a heart attack compared to those who ate them once a month or less, even if these women ate plenty of other types of fruit and vegetables.

"We have shown that even at an early age, eating more of these fruits may reduce risk of a heart attack later in life," commented lead scientist, Dr Aedín Cassidy, of the University of East Anglia in the UK.

The results stood even when other risk factors were taken into account, such as family history of heart attacks, body mass index and high blood pressure.

The scientists noted that these berries contain high levels of compounds known as dietary flavonoids. A specific sub-group of these, known as anthocyanins, appear to offer specific benefits to the heart.

"Blueberries and strawberries can easily be incorporated into what women eat every week. This simple dietary change could have a significant impact on prevention efforts," added senior study author, Dr Eric Rimm, of the Harvard School of Public Health in the US.

Details of these findings are published in the journal, Circulation.

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