Another reason to...

It’s oranges not carrots that help you see in the dark. Drawing on data from an epidemiological study involving nearly 3,000 adults with a mean age of 49, researchers in Australia looked at the consumption of various foods and their relationship to the incidence of macular degeneration, the most common form of sight loss among the elderly.

Most foods appeared to make no difference, but oranges were an exception – eating one a day was associated with a 60% reduced risk of developing the condition over the 15-year study period, and even one a week appeared to bring “significant benefits”.

Oranges are rich in antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties, which could help ward off macular degeneration. However, this type of study can only show a correlation, and it’s unclear why other foods containing flavonoids, such as apples, don’t seem to have the same impact.