Diet and AMD: Oranges May Help Guard Against Age-related Macular Degeneration
Research in Australia shows that people who ate at least one serving of oranges every day had more than a 60% reduced risk of developing macular degeneration.
Researchers at a leading health and medical research Institute in Australia believe that the flavonoids in oranges may help protect against advanced Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).
The researchers, working at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research, followed more than 2,000 older Australians for 15 years. They found that compared with people who ate no oranges, those who ate an orange a day or more reduced their risk of developing advanced AMD by 60% over the 15 years, and even those who ate an orange a week showed some benefits.
Besides oranges, the researchers also looked at the benefits of other foods that are rich in flavonoids: tea, apples and red wine. Only oranges showed protective benefits for AMD.
“Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants found in almost all fruits and vegetables,” said Associate Professor Bamini Gopinath, a lead researchers in the study, “and they have important anti-inflammatory benefits for the immune system.”
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