Make your pancakes Alzheimer’s-proof

Who doesn’t love pancakes? Who wouldn’t love Alzheimer’s-proof pancakes even more? All you have to do is add all-natural maple syrup.

It may sound too good to be true — and certainly tastes so — but some surprising research involving several studies appears to show that maple syrup may help with the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s.

Pretty sweet, huh?

One of the studies, presented at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society by Dr. Donald Weaver from the Krembil Research Institute of the University of Toronto, found that an extract of maple syrup may help prevent the misfolding and clumping of two types of proteins found in brain cells — beta amyloid and tau peptide. When cellular proteins fold improperly and clump together, they accumulate and form the plaque that is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases.

In a separate study also presented at the meeting, researchers showed that a pure maple syrup extract prevented the fibrillation (tangling) of beta amyloid proteins and exerted protective effects on specific brain cells in rodent brains known as microglial cells. Scientists have found that a decrease in microglial brain cell function is associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological problems.

The maple syrup extract also prolonged the lifespan of an Alzheimer’s roundworm model in vivo. The study was conducted out of the University of Rhode Island, in collaboration with researchers at Texas State University, and was led by Dr. Navindra P. Seeram.

The best maple syrup for your brain

“Natural food products such as green tea, red wine, berries, curcumin and pomegranates continue to be studied for their potential benefits in combatting Alzheimer’s disease. And now, in preliminary laboratory-based Alzheimer’s disease studies, phenolic-enriched extracts of maple syrup from Canada showed neuroprotective effects, similar to resveratrol, a compound found in red wine,” said Dr. Seeram. “However, further animal and eventually human studies would be required to confirm these initial findings.”

Pure maple syrup that comes from maple tree sap is an all-natural product whose unique health benefits have started coming to the forefront. According to Serge Beaulieu, President of the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, “We already know that maple has more than 100 bioactive compounds, some of which have anti-inflammatory properties. Brain health is the latest topic of exploration and we look forward to learning more about the potential benefits that maple syrup might have in this area.”

Inflammation is one of the primary markers that attributes to Alzheimer’s. I, for one, will be more than happy to know my pancake and maple syrup breakfast may help keep my brain safe.