The findings of a study appearing in the journal LWT - Food Science and Technology say that consumption of red cabbage can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Ho Jin Heo and Chang Yong Lee from Cornell University led the study and have found that red cabbage extract could significantly reduce build-up of plagues from amyloid deposits that scientists believe attribute to the development of Alzheimer's.The destructive action of amyloid deposits is increased brain cell damage and death from oxidative stress. The mechanism by which red cabbage helps is through anthocyanins and other cabbage polyphenols proved to be protective against such oxidative stress.
The study tested red and white cabbage and its polyphenol content. Approximately red cabbage contained 190 milligrams (mg) of polyphenols and 23 mg of anthocyanins per 100 grams of fresh weight, compared with 45 mg of polyphenols and 0.01 mg of anthocyanins per 100 grams in white cabbage.
The antioxidant activity of the extracts of red cabbage was about six to eight times higher than that of the extracts from white cabbage. Therefore they have better capability to combat oxidative stress.
As a conclusion researchers said,”Consumption of vegetables such as red cabbages may be beneficial to increase chemopreventive effects in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzehimer's.
