Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Walnuts Found to Fight Free Radicals

A recent study conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center found that walnuts contain a significant amount of melatonin, a hormone that protects our cells against free radical damage. Many diseases associated with aging, such as cataracts, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s, have a free radical component that melatonin could help curb, says study author Russel J. Reiter, PhD. Melatonin, best known as a sleep hormone, has also been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease and inhibit breast, liver, and prostate cancers.