Groenten tegen macula degeneratie bij het ouder worden.*
Groenten rijk aan de carotenen, luteïne en zeaxanthine kunnen de kans op het ontstaan van macula degeneratie op oudere leeftijd flink verminderen. Dit blijkt uit een studie onder vrouwen van boven de 50. Groenten rijk aan deze carotenen zijn wortelen en gele en groene bladgroenten zoals o.a. broccoli, prei, spinazie en eieren.
Veggies
good for eyesight as you age
Scientists say a diet rich in the compounds lutein and zeaxanthin which are
found in carrots and yellow and green vegetables such as sweetcorn, broccoli,
peas and squash, offer protection against damage to eyesight in later life.
The
compounds, carotenoids, are what give fruit and vegetables and egg yolks their
colour.
The
researchers say they may not really help you see in the dark, but brightly
coloured yellow and green vegetables do have sight-enhancing properties.
In
a study of post-menopausal women, researchers from the University of Wisconsin
found that a high consumption of these vegetables was associated with a reduced
risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
At
the beginning of the study, participants filled out a questionnaire to evaluate
what their diets were like 15 years before the beginning of the study.
Blood
samples were taken to assess levels of carotenoids and color photographs of the
retina were used to determine the presence and progression of AMD.
AMD
is the leading cause of blindness in older people in developed countries, and
occurs when the region at the back of the retina that produces the sharpest
vision deteriorates over time.
The
condition is incurable but research has suggested that lutein and zeaxanthin may
help combat AMD by absorbing damaging blue light, preventing attack by
destructive groups of atoms called free radicals, and strengthening eye cell
membranes.
The team led by Dr. Suzen Moeller studied women aged 50 to 79 who had either high or low dietary intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin and found that higher intakes over 15 years were associated with a reduced risk of intermediate-stage AMD in women under 75.
(Aug. 2006)