An orange a day keeps the eye doctor away
Vision loss after the age of 60 is most commonly caused by a condition known as macular degeneration, a process where the central portion of the retina (macula) degrades over time. This degradation is generally gradual and progresses over the course of years, with symptoms often first appearing in a person’s 60s, 70s or later. While steps can be taken to reduce a person’s risk of macular degeneration, there is no cure for the condition.
New research published this month in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the rate of developing macular degeneration over a 15-year time period among 2,000 Australian adults over the age of 50. The results of this study found a striking correlation between how often people ate oranges and their risk of developing macular degeneration. People who, on average, ate one orange per day over the 15 years of the study had a 60 per cent reduced risk of developing macular degeneration compared with people who didn’t eat oranges.
“Essentially we found that people who eat at least one serve of orange every day have a reduced risk of developing macular degeneration compared with people who never eat oranges,” said lead researcher Bamini Gopinath from the University of Sydney. “Even eating an orange once a week seems to offer significant benefits,” said Gopinath.
The results of this study are also unique because a multitude of other foods were examined in the diets of the participants, including tea, apples and red wine, but oranges were the only food with an associated decrease in macular degeneration risk. Gopinath and her team suspect that flavonoids present in the oranges are the cause of this decrease in macular degeneration risk.
While flavonoids could be the reason for this drop in macular degeneration rate, it isn’t certain if this was indeed the cause. Future research on orange consumption and flavonoid intake would help to clarify the effects of the fruit and its components on eye health.
It is clear from past research that another food component helps to decrease a person’s risk of developing macular degeneration: carotenoids. Carotenoids are compounds which give a vibrant yellow, orange or green colour to fruits and vegetables which they are present in, including sweet potato, carrot, cantaloupe and kale. It is clear that people who regularly eat fruit and vegetables rich in carotenoids have a lower risk of developing macular degeneration.
Do you have questions about dietary approaches for prevention of macular degeneration? Ask your naturopathic doctor.
Dr. Colin Macleod ND is a naturopathic doctor practicing full-time in Upper Tantallon at Macleod Naturopathic. His practice focuses on pain management and maintaining health through physical activity and diet. Visit him online at drcolinmacleod.com.