Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in older adults. However, evidence suggests that some dietary components reduce the risk of the disease. A recent study found that eating blueberries cuts the risk of age-related macular degeneration by 64 percent.

The study involved roughly 35,000 middle-aged and older women enrolled in the Women’s Health Study. Researchers used questionnaires to collect information about the women’s blueberry intake and eye health for about 11 years.

They found that eating blueberries one to three times a month reduced the risk of age-related macular degeneration by 10 percent, eating them once a week by 29 percent, more than once a week by 32 percent, and two or more times a week by 64 percent. Eating more blueberries didn’t show a protective effect against developing cataracts; however, higher anthocyanin intake did confer a 10 percent reduction in risk.

Blueberries are rich in anthocyanins – a class of flavonoid compounds that exert robust antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties via hormetic effects. Learn about the hormetic effects of anthocyanin-rich blueberries as well as other hormetic compounds in this smoothie recipe video.