Toxic Chemicals in Fruits and Vegetables Is What Gives Them Their Health Benefits

Chemicals that plants make to ward off pests stimulate nerve cells in ways that may protect the brain against diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

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When asked why eating lots of fruits and vegetables can improve health, many people will point to the antioxidants in these foods. That reasoning is logical because major diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes involve cell damage caused by chemicals called free radicals that antioxidants neutralize.

As a neuroscientist working to understand what goes wrong in the brain, I have long been aware that free radicals disrupt and sometimes kill neurons. And conversely, I know that people who regularly consume vegetables, fruits and other plant products thought to contain high levels of antioxidants tend to have healthier brains and to be less likely to suffer from neurodegenerative diseases. But the antioxidants story is not quite so simple.

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