Eating citrus fruits can reduce your risk of dementia by almost 15%
11/19/2018 / By Michelle Simmons
More and more people have dementia, a decline in cognitive function common in older adults. Researchers continue to search for natural ways to prevent this condition. Researchers at Tohoku University in Japan suggested that eating citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons or limes, every day could help lower the risk of dementia by nearly 15 percent.
Previous studies have reported that citrus fruits are in flavonoids, which can cross the blood-brain barrier and contribute to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In turn, this could reverse and repair some forms of cellular damage. One cross-sectional study reported that high consumption of citrus is positively associated with better cognitive function.
The Tohoku University team aimed to further examine the association of citrus fruit intake with the incidence of dementia. To do this, they carried out a statistical analysis using data from the Ohsaki Cohort 2006 Study, which involved Japanese people aged 65 years and older in 2006. Researchers gathered data on the participants’ frequency of citrus intake through a survey. Then, they followed up with 13,373 respondents in 2012 to determine how many participants in the cohort developed dementia within six years.
The researchers asked in the survey questions about the participants’ dietary and lifestyle habits. They categorized responses related to citrus consumption into three: those consuming citrus twice or less in a week, three to four times per week, and almost every day.
The findings of the study, which were published in the British Journal of Nutrition, revealed that those who ate citrus fruits more frequently had a lower risk of dementia. The results were the same even after the researchers considered other factors that may be related to dementia, including psychological distress, motor functions, and cognitive functions.
More reasons to eat citrus fruits
In addition to preserving cognitive function, citrus fruits offer many other health benefits. Here are some of them:
- Citrus fruits strengthen the immune system: Citrus fruits boost the immunity, which makes them great for preventing colds and recurrent ear infections. Citrus fruits are a great source of vitamin C, which is a potent antioxidant. Citrus fruits like oranges can help prevent cancers such as lung, skin, breast, and colon cancers. The fiber content of citrus fruits also helps prevent cancer. (Related: How Citrus Fruits Heal Our Bodies & What are The Sources of It.)
- Citrus fruits are good for the skin: The antioxidants in citrus fruits help protect the skin from free radical damage. Free radical damage is one of the main causes of skin aging. Therefore, eating citrus fruits like oranges every day will help make your skin look younger. The vitamin C in citrus fruits protects the skin from the sun’s damage. This vitamin plays an important in role in collagen production and may help reduce wrinkles and improve the skin’s overall texture.
- Citrus fruits can regulate blood pressure: Oranges are rich in vitamin B6 which aids in the production of hemoglobin and also help regulate blood pressure.
- Citrus fruits help in digestion: Citrus fruits are rich in soluble fiber which makes them a great help in digestion. Citrus fruits can also increase the acidity in the stomach and promote better digestion. However, they should be consumed before a meal and should not be combined with food.
- Citrus fruits are good for your eyes: The vitamin C in citrus fruits improves eye health, prevents inflammation, and helps in healing inflammatory-related conditions of the eyes. It also helps cut the risk of cataracts. The vitamin A content of citrus fruits like orange also helps keep the eyes healthy. It also prevents age-related macular degeneration.
Read more news stories and studies on the benefits of citrus fruits by going to Superfoods.news.
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