We all know that calcium-rich dairy products help to protect our bones. Now, findings of a study recently conducted by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) suggest that the pigments found in plant foods may also help to protect the bones of older adults.
Basically, study researchers looked at changes in bone density at the hip and spine of study volunteers. Over the course of the 4-year study, carotenoids, which are antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, were associated with protection against bone loss at the hip in men and at the spine in women.
Researchers reported that lycopene, a type of carotenoid found in tomatoes, is particularly protective against loss of bone density for older adults. Lycopene is also said to be protective against prostate cancer in men.
The take home message is not new: eat your fruits and vegetables. Now, you have one more reason.
This study was led by epidemiologist Katherine Tucker with the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston, Mass. Study findings were published online by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Find the ARS report at http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/090114.htm
Thursday, April 9, 2009
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