Published in the journal, Neurology, researchers followed 7,283 participants of 45 yearr or older over the average of 16 years to explore the link between antioxidant in the blood to the risk of developing dementia later.

The antioxidants the researchers mainly focused on were Lutein and zeaxanthin, commonly found in green leafy vegetables but may be found in all unprocessed, plant-based food, and beta-cryptoxanthinin, commonly found in fruits.

The participants began the study with a physical exam, interview, and blood draw to exam the levels of the mentioned antioxidant in the blood.

The divided the group into three tiers based on their antioxidant levels and found that people with the highest amount of antioxidant had lower levels risk of developing dementia. For every standard deviation increase in lutein and zeaxanthin, there was a 7% decrease in risk of dementia. Regarding beta-cryptoxanthin, every standard of deviation increase was associated with a 14% reduced risk of dementia.

Want to maximize your quality of life as you get older and not become a so-called “vegetable”? Start eating more fruits and vegetables like a real man to feel good like a real man. No more macho “men eats meat” bullshit.

MA Beydoun et al. Association of serum antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids with incident alzheimer disease and all-cause dementia among US adults. Neurology. DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000200289