People who eat berries – and men who also eat apples and oranges – are far less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, new research has discovered.
The fruits are rich in flavonoids, and these have a protective effect against Parkinson’s. Those who ate the most fruit were 40 per cent less likely to develop the disease than those who ate the least amount, Harvard School of Public Health researchers discovered when they analysed the lifestyles of 49,281 men and 80,336 women.
Anthocyanins are another key ingredient in warding off Parkinson’s, and these are found in berries. Anthocyanins lower the risk in both men and women.
The researchers say the fruits have neuro-protective effects, which suggest they could also help ward off other similar diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and MS.
(Source: Study published on February 13, in advance of its presentation at the American Academy of Neurology 63rd annual meeting).
