Juice for the Mind

Drinking fruit juice through the week can put off brain damage, says a new study, and considerably bring down the chances of developing Alzheimer8217;s

Fruit juice is good for your skin. It helps digestion and cleanses the system. You8217;ve heard all that. Now, there8217;s another reason you mustn8217;t forget to wash down your meal with a fruit juice as often as possible fruit juice could put away Alzheimer8217;s.

A recent study by the American Journal of Medicine said drinking fruit or vegetable juice considerably reduces a person8217;s chances of developing Alzheimer8217;s. The scientists closely monitored nearly 1,836 Japanese Americans in Washington for a decade and found that those who consumed fruit or vegetable juice thrice a week or more were 76 per cent less likely to develop Alzheimer8217;s compared to those who consumed juice just once a week or less.

8220;Fruit and vegetable juice has antioxidant properties that helps protect the body from free radicals. It is the release of free radicals in the body and early changes to brain cells that ultimately leads to Alzheimer8217;s,8221; says Dr Sakshi Chawla, chief dietitian, Fortis, Noida. 8220;The brain accumulates damage due to oxidation as we age, juice helps protect against that damage and thus against Alzheimer8217;s and dementia. Fruit and vegetable juice is also high in potassium, which has properties that helps in the thinning of the blood. So it also helps protect against cardiovascular diseases.8221;

8220;Although, eating a fruit is always a better option as a lot of fibre is lost in the process of extracting the juice,8221; she adds, many of the nutrients trapped in the fibres are released when the fruit is juiced. Fruits such as watermelon and pears may be juiced with their seeds while apple can be juiced with its skin.

Vegetable juice is also a good source of enzymes that are lost once they are heated while cooking. Other than this, fruit and vegetable juice is also a good source of vitamins and minerals. It8217;s also a good source of essential minerals such as iron, potassium, magnesium, copper and iodine. Carrot juice contains large quantities of Vitamin A while citrus fruit juices contain a lot of Vitamin C. Green vegetable juices contain a lot of Vitamin E.