Switching from white to wholemeal bread may have a protective effect against AMD

A new study suggests that changing from a high to low glycemic diet could reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, involved observing 19 mice fed on a low-glycemic diet and 40 mice on a high-glycemic diet.

In both groups, carbohydrates made up 45% of the diet. After six months, the high-glycemic mice either remained on the same diet or switched to a diet containing starches found in whole grains.

Researchers found that the high-glycemic mice began to develop many AMD features, while mice on a low-glycemic diet did not. When some of the mice switched to a diet with starches found in whole grains, the damage to the retina stopped.

Read the full study here Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.