Legumes for lunch? It might be a good idea in the light of a new study showing that a diet rich in the natural antioxidant vitamin E may help protect some people against Alzheimer's disease. Foods rich in vitamin E include nuts, beans and the germ of wheat and other grains. The study, published in the June 26, 2002, Journal of the American Medical Association, found that people who ingested an average of 11.4 IU/d of vitamin E from food had a 67 percent lower risk of AD compared to study participants with the lowest dietary vitamin E intake. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin E is 22 IU/d. The study found that vitamin E supplements did not reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease.