One of the most common fears about aging is the loss of mental acuity. New research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell now shows that there may be a simple and tasty way to protect yourself against age-related memory loss.

The results of this study show that eating apples and drinking apple juice can help to protect your brain from the effects of oxidative cell damage. This type of damage leads to memory loss as we age. However, mice that were given a diet that included apple juice were protected from the negative effects of oxidative stress.

In fact, mice that were given larger amounts of apple (the equivalent of 2-3 cups of juice or 2-4 apples per day) showed heightened mental abilities. Researchers believe that the protective effects come from the high antioxidant content found in the fruit.

It seems there is a reason that apples have been associated with classrooms and learning. If you want to maintain your mental dexterity, it may well be worth adding more of this simple fruit to your diet.