According to the latest research of 130.000 of men and women, eating a cup of berries every week, can easily help you to decrease the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease by a quarter. After a closer look at the volunteers’ menu, it has been revealed that people who consumed high doses of products that are rich in flavonoids had less Parkinson’s disease cases than those who didn’t consume these products.
Flavonoids are natural substances that can be found in blueberries, strawberries, apples, oranges, orange juice and red wine. Next to their other pros, these compounds have an antioxidant effect. It is also believed that flavonoids protect against the aging processes and can reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and some types of cancer.
The study was conducted by U.S. Health Professionals and took more than 20 years. Research included 130.000 of men and women. During this period, 800 of them were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. After taking a closer look at their diet, lifestyle and other factors, researchers have concluded that people with Parkinson’s received 40 percent less flavonoids than those who didn’t have this disease. Besides, people who ate two or more cups of berries were about 25 per cent less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease!
This is the first study that has attempted to investigate the relationship between flavonoid intake and the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The researchers claim that this study clearly shows that flavonoids can help us to protect our braincells and neurons. However, these results still need an approval by a larger scale of epidemiological studies and clinical trials.