According to ScienceDaily.com, cinnamon may be able to protect older adults against Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common form of dementia. It is a neurodegenerative condition which causes confusion, aggression, communication problems, and long-term memory loss.

There has been neither one specific cause nor treatment for the disease, but Roshni George and Donald Graves, scientists at UC Santa Barbara found two compounds in cinnamon that may be able to fight Alzheimer's disease.

Based on tests, they found that two the compounds cinnamaldehyde and epicatechin have the ability keep tau, a protein which plays a significant role in neural structures, from clumping together. Both compounds may "prevent the development of the filamentous 'tangles' found in the brain cells that characterize Alzheimer's."

Although the study is good news for many older adults, it’s also important to keep the brain healthy. You may opt to stimulate the brain with constant reading and exercises. Don’t forget to first seek advice from your doctor if you intend to make drastic diet changes.

(Photo by Steenbergs via Flickr Creative Commons)