This month’s American Journal of Medicine discusses the benefits of consuming fruit and vegetable juices to help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease. The study showed this correlation was due to the antioxidants found in fruit juices that are not necessarily found in vitamins.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and it currently affects about 13 million people across the globe. This progressive disorder gradually destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn, reason, communicate, and carry out daily activities. Unfortunately the areas of the brain that control memory and thinking skills are affected first. To date, there are no known cures for this disorder but a lot of effort has been focused on slowing the progression of this disease, as well as preventing its onset.
This most recent study was conducted on over 1,800 geriatric people in Washington State. After 2-10 years of monitoring these people, it was found that individuals who drank juice three or more times a week were 76 percent less likely to develop the symptoms of Alzheimer’s compared to those who drank less than one serving of juice per week. This study showed that no specific juices were found to be more effective.
A few other studies have been released in the last two years, and the great majority of them focus on apple juice. A 2004 study by the University of Massachusetts Lowell showed that supplementing your diet with apple juice concentrate may prevent oxidative damage to brain tissue and therefore help increase cognitive performance. This could help delay the onset of dementia and decrease the occurrence of Alzheimer’s. The findings associated with this research study show that the antioxidant potential of apple juice concentrate can help compensate for dietary and genetic deficiencies that would promote degeneration of our nerves.
On the same note, there were concurrent studies that showed vitamin E and folic acid deficiencies will also impair brain function when we are put into stressful conditions. The answer is simple, if we eat healthier foods we will be healthier individuals. “You are what you eat” may be some of the best anecdotal advice we learned growing up. Unfortunately, many children today are eating processed foods high in preservatives, fat, and calories. Visiting a fruit stand or walking through the produce section once a week will help reduce grocery bills and establish healthier habits for our children. It’s simple, drinking a glass of juice instead of eating a processed artificially flavored snack, will not only taste better, but it will help establish lifelong habits for today’s youth.