Antioxidant diet could prevent Alzheimer's

A new study published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation has suggested that foods which contain free radical agents cause oxidative stress, which in turn has a negative effect on neurodegeneration diseases like Alzheimer's.

Free radical containing foods include dairy and meat products exposed to high levels of heat, as well as refined foods such as white sugar, white flours and hydrogenated oils.

They cause problems because they are highly reactive molecules that result from the body's energy producing mechanisms and because they are capable of oxidising and damaging DNA, proteins and cells in general.

Since free radicals can be found in lots of different kinds of foods, the best ways to combat their oxidative qualities is to consume antioxidant rich foods like dates, cranberries, red grapes and strong coffee like an espresso, which counteract the negative effects of the free radicals.

Lead author Dora Dias-Santagata was quick to stress that foodstuffs were not the cause of degenerative diseases, but that a healthy diet could go a long way to preventing their onset.

"This is exciting because antioxidants may prove to be a good therapeutic approach to treat Alzheimer's disease and ameliorate human neurodegeneration," she said.

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