Can eating citrus fruits curb dementia?
04/11/2020 / By Noah Harper / Comments
Can eating citrus fruits curb dementia?

Oranges, grapefruits, lemons and lime are part of a family of fruits known as citrus fruits. They’re sweet, brightly colored fruits that are not just full of flavor and aesthetic appeal but can also lower your likelihood of getting dementia.

Researchers from Tohoku University in Sendai, northern Japan, discovered that older adults who regularly consume oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits are less likely to develop conditions like dementia as they grow older.

Their study, which was published in the British Journal of Medical Nutrition, looked at how citrus fruits can inhibit the onset of dementia, a condition prevalent in many older adults in countries with aging populations such as Japan.

The researchers conducted a six-year-long study on over 13,000 participants that, at the beginning of the study, were at least 65 years old or older.

Upon the conclusion of the study, the researchers found out that people who ate citrus fruits three or four times a week had an 18 percent reduced risk of developing dementia. Moreover, they found that people who ate citrus almost every day had lessened their dementia risk by at least 23 percent.

With these results, the research team concluded that frequent consumption of citrus can lower the risk of developing dementia, stating that the discovery could be both a “simple and effective” solution in addressing dementia.

Dementia, the condition wherein there is a significant cognitive decline, is a growing issue in Japan. It is estimated that 4.6 million people in the country have dementia, a real risk for the aging population of the country. The country’s health ministry expects this figure to rise to 7.3 million (which is one out of five people aged 65 or older) by 2025.

Other benefits of citrus fruits

Dementia isn’t the only thing that citrus fruits are good at dealing with. Here are six other reasons why you should consume more citrus fruits:

  1. Citrus fruits are rich in nutrients – Citrus fruits are known primarily as rich sources of vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system. However, citrus fruits are also filled with other vitamins, minerals and plant compounds, such as B vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, flavonoids and carotenoids. These nutrients have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits for the body.
  2. Citrus fruits are low in calories – If you’re looking for a healthy snack that won’t fill up your caloric intake, you should consume citrus fruits. One medium orange only has 62 calories, half of a pink grapefruit has 52, one small clementine has 35 and the juice squeezed out of one regular lemon only has about 12 calories.
  3. Citrus fruits are filled with fiber – Citrus fruits are filled with digestive health-boosting fiber. Oranges, in particular, are high in soluble fiber, which can help lower cholesterol levels.
  4. Citrus fruits can reduce your risk of kidney stones – Calcium and uric acid kidney stones can be caused by the lack of citrate in the body. Citrus fruits, along with many other fruits and vegetables, can raise the levels of citrate in your urine which, in turn, lowers your risk of developing those kinds of kidney stones.
  5. Citrus fruits are good for your heart – Studies have found that there are several compounds in citrus fruits that can improve your heart health. For example, the soluble fiber and flavonoids in citrus fruits can improve your cholesterol by raising “good” cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) and lowering “bad” cholesterol (LDL cholesterol).
  6. Citrus fruits may help against cancer – Several studies have linked citrus fruits to a reduced risk of certain cancers. One study, for example, found that drinking grapefruit juice daily lowers your risk of lung cancer. Other studies have suggested that citrus fruits can also help against pancreatic, stomach, esophageal and breast cancers.

Citrus isn’t the only fruit that can help fend off dementia. Find more foods that help reduce your chances of getting this condition at Superfoods.news.

Sources:

Cambridge.org

TheGuardian.com

Healthline.com

KidneyStones.UChicago.edu

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