Long-term use of ibuprofen or alcohol can hurt your stomach, but researchers may have found an all-natural solution:

strawberries.

Researchers at Marche Polytechnic University in Italy fed strawberry extract to rats for 10 days. (The dose was equal to about 3.5 cups of strawberries daily for a human.) When the researchers gave rats stomach lesions using ethanol, the strawberry extract helped prevent the onset of ulcers.

Strawberries, blueberries, and even some vegetables could end up helping to protect humans from stomach problems caused by long-term drinking or excessive use of anti-inflamatory drugs like ibuprofen, explains study researcher Sara Tulipani, Ph.D., of the University of Barcelona.

Credit anthocyanins—a type of antioxidant that gives certain fruits and vegetables their color. Tulipani hypothesizes that anthocyanins activate antioxidant enzymes in the stomach lining that protect against ulcer-inducing oxidant damage from ethanol.

Previous studies have found that anthocyanins reduce blood pressure, improve eye health and help protect against cancer. Aim for at least 2 cups of fruits and 2.5 cups of vegetables each day; a serving is 1 cup of berries