These two adult beverages — one that wakes people up in the morning and another that relaxes them in the evening — may help keep the mind young: coffee and red wine.
According to research, these two beverages — if enjoyed in moderation — might help prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
Staying Sharp
The recent news is no reason to start a coffee or wine habit. But if they’re already part of your beverage repertoire, you might be interested to know that both seem to contain ingredients that could help ward off dementia. Animal studies show that something in coffee may help trigger the release of a special growth factor — granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) — that recruits cells from bone marrow to help sweep out beta-amyloid deposits. (Those are the pesky plaques that cause Alzheimer’s symptoms.) And the polyphenols in red wine may have similar benefits, reducing levels of peptides that contribute to Alzheimer’s plaques. (Related: Do you forget things simply because you’re distracted? Find out what the symptoms of adult ADHD are.)