Berries Battle Parkinson’s

Berries like strawberries, blueberries and their berry cousins have long been credited with reducing certain kinds of cancers, sharpening memory and improving vision. Now, scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health say they are being linked to decreasing your chances of developing Parkinson’s disease. The key is in the flavonoids: antioxidant chemicals found in plants and fruits- that are found in higher concentrations in berries as well as citrus, chocolate, red wine, and tea.

Researchers tracked almost 50,000 men and more than 80,000 women for a couple of decades and monitored their flavonoid intake. Subjects filled out questionnaires on the types of foods they consumed. The participants were followed for 20-22 years. During that time, 805 people developed Parkinson’s disease. In men, the top 20% who consumed the most flavonoids were about 40% less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than the bottom 20% who consumed the least amount of flavonoids. In women, there was no relationship between overall flavonoid consumption and developing Parkinson’s disease. However, when subclasses of flavonoids were examined, regular consumption of anthocyanins, which are mainly obtained from berries, were found to be associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease in both men and women.

*Source: Ideal Health & Association