Parkinson’s disease gradually damages the brain and over time, symptoms will begin to appear which range from slow movement, tremors and change of speech. A diet could help prevent the disease and eating more antioxidant foods with one in particular could prevent the disease.
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Parkinson’s Foundation said: “While there is no prescription for a Parkinson’s Disease (PD) specific diet, to maintain overall good health most people living with Parkinson’s disease should eat a variety of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy products, and protein-rich foods such as meat and beans.
“Also consider including nuts, olive oil, fish, and eggs to your diet, for their beneficial fats.
“You should try to limit your sugar intake as a diet with lots of sugar can have too many calories and too few nutrients.
“Reducing salt and sodium will also help to reduce risk and most importantly try to incorporate foods high in antioxidants which are important for overall brain health.
How does antioxidant foods help protect the brain?
Alzheimer’s.net said: “Studies have shown that antioxidants may help counteract the unstable molecules that comprise free radicals, counteracting the negative effects of oxidative stress.
“Recent studies discovered that antioxidants may reverse some of the symptoms of ageing including memory loss.
“The brain uses an abundance of oxygen due to its high metabolic activity.
“This makes the brain more susceptible to free radical attack than just about any other area of the body.
“Free radical attack on brain cells results in memory loss and antioxidant foods prevent free radicals.”
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules that can harm a person’s cells and lead to oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress can cause free radicals to attack the brain cells which result in oxidative damage.
There are many antioxidants only a select few target the brain.
Some of the well-known ones to help with brain power include carotenoids and flavonoids, as well as key vitamins and minerals.
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When a person eats a diet rich in antioxidants, blood antioxidant levels increase to help fight oxidative stress and reduce the risk of diseases including Parkinson’s disease.
When it comes to the best food’s rich in antioxidants, scientists use several tests to measure the antioxidant content of foods.
Scientists use several tests to measure the antioxidant content of foods.
One of the best tests is the FRAP (ferric reducing ability of plasma) analysis.
It measures the antioxidant content of foods by how well they can neutralise a specific free radical.
The higher the FRAP value, the more antioxidants the food contains.
Chocolate lovers rejoice, consuming dark chocolate is one of the most antioxidant foods as well as being loaded with minerals.
Based on the FRP analysis, dark chocolate has up to 15 mmol of antioxidants per 100 grams.
This means dark chocolate has more antioxidants than blueberries and raspberries.
Moreover, the antioxidants in cocoa and dark chocolate have been linked to impressive health benefits such as less inflammation and reduced risk factors for heart disease.
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