2.7. Treatments and Blinding
Blueberry: 30 g of highbush freeze-dried blueberry powder produced from equal proportions of TifbluePlacebo: 30 g energy-content-, color-, appearance-, and taste-matched blueberry powder placebo (362 kcal/100 g, total carbohydrates 90 g/100 g, total fiber: maltodextrin 22 g/100 g, dietary fiber: 1 g/100 g, fructose 37 g/100 g, glucose 35 g/100 g).Both treatments were taken as two doses of 15 g powder daily, dissolved in 300 mL tap water and ingested within 30 min after breakfast and dinner meals. The blueberry and placebo powders were kindly supplied by the US Highbush Blueberry Council, USHBC, and conform with the powders used in several previous published trials.The powder marked with the sequential randomization code was dispensed by the treatment-blinded study technician in individual dosage bags at the start of each treatment period and treatment compliance was ascertained by a dedicated weekly phone messaging system.All study personnel and the patients remained blinded to the treatment administered until completion of the statistical analysis.