WASHINGTON, D.C.: It is one of Canada’s most famous and sweetest exports, and now it’s gaining recognition in the medical community for its potential health benefits.
At a summit of the American Chemical Society in San Diego, Calif., earlier this week, scientists out of the University of Toronto and the University of Rhode Island indicated that maple syrup has shown promise in protecting brain cells against the damage found in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, in particular Alzheimer’s.
One study presented by Dr. Donald Weaver, of the University of Toronto’s Krembil Research Institute, found that an extract of the sticky and sweet Canadian staple may prevent the misfolding and clumping of two types of proteins, beta amyloid and tau peptide, which have been linked to Alzheimer’s.