(Xinhua Photo)

    BEIJING, April 23 (Xinhuanet) -- A fruity cocktail may not only be fun to drink but may count as health food, according to researchers quoted by media reports Monday.

    The researchers of U.S. and Thailand found that adding ethanol -- the alcohol found in rum, vodka and other spirits -- actually increased the antioxidant nutrients in colored fruit.

    Any coloured fruit might be made even more healthful with the addition of a splash of alcohol, the researchers reported in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

    Korakot Chanjirakul and colleagues at Kasetsart University in Thailand and scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture came upon their finding unexpectedly.

    They were exploring ways to help keep strawberries fresh during storage. Treating the berries with alcohol increased antioxidant capacity and free radical scavenging activity, they found.

    Any coloured fruit or vegetable is rich in antioxidants, chemicals that can cancel out the cell-damaging effects of compounds called free radicals.

    Berries, for example, contain compounds known as polyphenols and anthocyanins. People who eat more of these fruits and vegetables have a recorded lower risk of cancer, heart disease and some neurological diseases.

    The study did not address whether adding a little cocktail umbrella enhanced the effects.

    (Agencies)