“Let food be the medicine."
It's advice that’s fallen in and out of favor throughout history.
Some American pantry staples such as Kellog’s Corn Flakes and graham crackers started life as “medicinal” foods but are now on the “don’t eat that!” list. Others, such as the spice turmeric, show some real scientific potential. And sometimes unexpected foods show truly surprising health benefits.
For example: recent research suggests that our pancakes might contain one of the keys to defeating Alzheimer’s disease—in the form of maple syrup. It might not be good for our waistlines but Canadian researchers say it appears to have a positive effect on our brains.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most devastating form of dementia. It robs its victims of their memories, their personalities, and eventually their lives. It has no cure. And although science still doesn’t understand its root cause, it appears to be tied to the buildup of “plaques” in the brain. These plaques are made up of “misfolded” proteins which clump together and cause brain cells to wither and die.
Maple syrup contains a compound that stops the “misfolding” of these proteins. This keeps the classic plaque buildup from happening. This in turn slows or stops the onset of Alzheimer’s. But don’t rush to add the sticky stuff to every meal—maple syrup also contains a massive dose of sugar. And what researchers are working with is a potent extract, not the whole syrup.
So far they’ve only tested the substance on cells growing in the lab. The results, however, are encouraging. Animal and human testing still lies ahead, but researchers hope that this extract may become the basis for a truly effective treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease.