Over the years various studies have successfully linked the Mediterranean diet (i.e. high in fruits, vegetables and fish and low in red meat and butter) with health benefits, including reduced risk of both heart disease and skin cancer. Now, for the first time, Portuguese researchers have studied the relationship between the diet and macular degeneration. The results make intriguing reading.

Researchers from the University of Coimbra studied 883 people over 55, 449 of whom had AMD. Of those who adhered closely to the Mediterranean diet, only 39% had AMD (representing a 35% lower risk than those who did not follow the diet).It was also revealed that those who consumed 150grams of fruit per day were 15% less likely to have the condition. Giving hope to those of us who love a coffee or two, the research also showed that of the participants who drank the equivalent of one shot of espresso per day, 54.4% did not have AMD.

While the study does not prove that consuming coffee and following a Mediterranean diet causes the risk of AMD to drop, Rufino Silva M.D, lead author of the study hails the study as “a stepping stone towards effective preventive medicine in AMD”.

Sources:

1. Science Daily
   Fruit-rich Mediterranean diet with antioxidants may cut age-related macular degeneration risk by more than a third.