Keep the juices flowing
I love it when I find out that a healthy habit I already have (one I bet you have too) provides even more health benefits than anyone thought. This time, it's drinking juice, which a new study shows can actually help ward off Alzheimer's disease.
In one study, researchers followed 2,000 Japanese-American adults (all age 65 and older) for 10 years. None of the participants showed any signs of dementia or Alzheimer's when the study began.
When researchers completed the study, they realized that the people who drank fruit and vegetable juice more than three times per week were 76 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than the participants who drank juice less than once a week. Those who drank fruit or vegetable juice once or twice per week showed a 16-percent lower risk.
The decreased Alzheimer's risk most likely has to do with a certain type of antioxidant found in fruit and vegetable juices called polyphenols. We've long thought that these antioxidants have a protective effect on your brain, helping you to fight off dementia and Alzheimer's. These nutrients are usually found in the skins and peels of fruits and vegetables, and they're also pretty plentiful in tea and wine.
Thanks to plenty of studies, it has long been recognized that Japanese adults (who live in Japan) have a lower rate of Alzheimer's than Japanese people living in the U.S. Likewise, there have been a lot of studies that showed the rate of Alzheimer's in this country is growing. That alone suggests that the problem lies here in America, and most likely in our diets and lifestyles.
An interesting thing about the juice study was that it showed juice's protective benefits seemed to be especially strong in people with a genetic marker called apolipoprotein E, which has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
It's still unclear whether a certain type of juice offers the most benefits. But one thing's for certain: You're not going to get even half of the benefits you're hoping for from some sugary, chemical-laden concentrate you find in the freezer section.
Stick to all-natural juices without artificial sweeteners. My favorites are grape juice, pomegranate juice, and blueberry juice. If you're really thirsty, try mixing your juice with an equal amount of chilled spring water.
In the morning, try adding your juice to green tea for an antioxidant-filled pick-me-up.
