As discussed in the Inflammation chapter, berries have systemic anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body, though they can also suppress inflammation directly within the gut.6934 Ninety percent of patients with ulcerative colitis responded to bilberries, with most achieving remissions within six weeks; disease activity surged back, however, once the berries were stopped.6935 Part of this may derive from the prebiotic effect of anthocyanins on the gut flora. Eating berries increases the number of good bugs and decreases the number of bad ones.6936 For example, eating blueberries every day
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