Apple juice may help protect against memory loss

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Experiments in mice suggest that apples and apple juice can improve memory.
Apples have long been known for their health benefits. Now a team at the University of Massachusetts suggests that apples can protect the brain against oxidative stress. This phenomenon is associated with aging and many chronic diseases. Anti-oxidant rich foods may help slow down oxidative stress.

Adult and aged mice were fed either a normal diet, one supplemented with apple juice or a nutrient-deficient diet. They were then given standard memory tests. The deficient diet had an adverse effect on the performance of the aged, but not adult, mice. These animals were found to have a significant amount of oxidative damage in their brains. However, those taking the apple juice did better on the memory tests than those who were on the standard diet. Their brains proved to be free of oxidative damage too. The amount of apple juice they consumed to get these benefits were the equivalent of a human taking two to three cups of apple juice or eating two to four apples a day. So why not eat an extra apple? Your brain may have much to gain!

Source
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease January 2006

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