NEW YORK—Eating grapes may help slow or prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a study published in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine.
Researchers at Fordham University compared the incidence of the condition between mice with grape-enriched diets, additional lutein diets and normal diets. They found the mice fed a diet rich in grapes were protected against oxidative damage of the retina, which prevented blindness. Lutein was found to be effective; however, grapes offered more protection, likely due to their antioxidant properties.
“The protective effect of the grapes in this study was remarkable, offering a benefit for vision at old age even if grapes were consumed only at young age," said principal investigator Silvia Finnemann. “A lifelong diet enriched in natural antioxidants, such as those in grapes, appears to be directly beneficial for retinal health and function."
