Medical science has long understood that berries are healing foods, with nearly unparalleled concentrations of nutritional value in their tiny, round bodies.
Medical science has long understood that berries
are healing foods, with nearly unparalleled concentrations of
nutritional value in their tiny, round bodies. Well, here is a new piece
of evidence about these healing foods that come in so many flavors and
colors. Researchers have found that adults who regularly eat berries
may have a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The key is
“flavonoids.”
A good fruit intake each week is an important element of any path
to nutrition. Flavonoids are found in plants and fruits and are also
known collectively as “vitamin P” and “citrin.” They can also be found
in berry fruits, chocolate, and citrus fruits such as grapefruit.
The study involved 49,281 men and 80,336 women. Researchers gave
participants questionnaires and used a database to calculate intake
amount of flavonoids. They then analyzed the association between
flavonoid intakes and risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. They also
analyzed consumption of five major sources of foods rich in flavonoids:
tea; berries; apples; red wine; and oranges or orange juice. The
participants were followed for 20 to 22 years.
During that time, 805 people developed Parkinson’s disease. In men,
the top 20% who consumed the most flavonoids were about 40% less
likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than the bottom 20% who consumed
the least amount of flavonoids. For men, while berries led the way,
they could also lower their risk further by regularly eating apples,
oranges and other sources of flavonoids.
In women, unfortunately, there was no relationship between overall flavonoid consumption and developing Parkinson’s disease.
But when they looked more closely at one specific flavonoid —
anthocyanin — they found it did lower Parkinson’s risk in both men and
women. And where are anthocyanins found in the greatest abundance?
Berries.
This is the first study in people to examine the association
between flavonoids and risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. It is
very encouraging and offers further proof that food is medicine.
Invisible chemicals in berries and other fruit have amazing protective
effects on the neurons in our brains. Once this is confirmed in other
studies, flavonoids may be a natural and healthy way to reduce your risk
of developing Parkinson’s disease.
In the meantime, just keep on eating berries to your heart’s content.
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