Introduction
As we age, our brains naturally start to slow down. But did you know that certain foods may be accelerating this process? Recent studies have shown that certain foods can have a negative impact on our cognitive abilities, leading to a faster decline in brain health. In this article, we will explore the science behind these foods and discuss how to make healthier choices to keep your brain healthy and functioning optimally.
Foods That May Be Aging Your Brain Faster, Says Science
As we age, our brains naturally start to slow down. But according to recent research, certain foods may be accelerating the process. Here are some of the foods that science says may be aging your brain faster.
Processed Meats
Processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, and hot dogs, are high in saturated fat and sodium. Eating too much of these foods can lead to an increased risk of stroke and dementia. A study published in the journal Neurology found that people who ate the most processed meats had a 44% higher risk of developing dementia than those who ate the least.
Refined Grains
Refined grains, such as white bread, white rice, and pasta, are stripped of their fiber and other nutrients. Eating too much of these foods can lead to an increased risk of stroke and dementia. A study published in the journal Neurology found that people who ate the most refined grains had a 27% higher risk of developing dementia than those who ate the least.
Sugary Drinks
Sugary drinks, such as soda and energy drinks, are high in sugar and calories. Drinking too much of these beverages can lead to an increased risk of stroke and dementia. A study published in the journal Neurology found that people who drank the most sugary drinks had a 45% higher risk of developing dementia than those who drank the least.
Fried Foods
Fried foods, such as French fries and chicken nuggets, are high in fat and calories. Eating too much of these foods can lead to an increased risk of stroke and dementia. A study published in the journal Neurology found that people who ate the most fried foods had a 34% higher risk of developing dementia than those who ate the least.
Conclusion
Eating a healthy diet is important for maintaining a healthy brain. Avoiding processed meats, refined grains, sugary drinks, and fried foods can help reduce your risk of stroke and dementia. Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help keep your brain healthy and functioning optimally.
We all forget names, lose our keys, and misplace our cellphones. Occasional brain fog is so common and has so many potential triggers (lack of sleep, stress, medications, or depression, etc.) that it’s very difficult to tell if your brain is aging faster than you might expect it to or if your forgetfulness is simply a temporary symptom of living a crazy modern life.
One thing you’ll definitely want to remember to help you stay mentally sharp is that your eating habits over time may accelerate memory decline and other markers of waning cognitive function that is associated with the aging brain.
We’re still learning about the various forms and causes of dementia and the mechanics of the abnormalities that characterize Alzheimer’s disease, but more and more research suggests that our diets play a critical role.
“What we eat affects more than our bodies; it also affects our brain,” says Uma Naidoo, MD, a nutritional psychiatrist, trained chef, and director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Eating an order of French fries is not going to fry your brain. It’s the regular consumption of those unhealthy foods overtime that may compromise your brainpower just as it can increase the likelihood of experiencing other disorders associated with aging, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
Let’s review the types of foods that negatively affect our health and the research behind their dangers.
One of the ways food impacts cognitive function is through the brain-gut connection. Science suggests an unbalanced mix of healthy and unhealthy bacteria in our microbiome can influence our brain chemistry, specifically neurochemicals like noradrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine, which impact learning and memory.
One study published in the European Heart Journal found that excess red meat consumption may raise levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a byproduct of gut bacteria metabolism. High TMAO levels may be linked to higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
An unhealthy microbiome is also linked to chronic inflammation, including brain inflammation, which may affect blood flow to the brain. “In addition, changes in gut bacteria may increase amyloid deposits, thereby contributing to Alzheimer’s disease,” writes Dr. Naidoo in her book This is Your Brain on Food.
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Fructose is the sugar in healthy fruit, but it’s also in cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the cheap liquid sweetener that food manufacturers add to processed foods to improve the flavor and keep us eating them. Cane sugar and HFCS is so prevalent in our food supply (soft drinks, candy, condiments, salad dressings, canned soups, baked goods, bread loaves, and other processed foods) that it can be a significant danger to the brain over years of overindulgence.
The US Department of Agriculture says the average American swallows 47 pounds of cane sugar and 35 pounds of HFCS over the course of a year. That’s too sweet. Rodent studies suggest that getting a big dose of fructose could alter brain cells’ ability to signal to each other and cause memory loss and disrupt learning. The results suggest that “eating a high-fructose diet over the long term alters your brain’s ability to learn and remember information,” UCLA researcher Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, PhD, told Science Daily.
Keep track of how often you open a box or can of the course of the day. It could be an eye-opener. A recent study linked getting more than 20% of your daily calories from ultra-processed foods with faster cognitive decline, memory, and executive functions like juggling multiple tasks at once.
The research determined that men and women who ate the most ultra-processed foods declined 28% faster in memory, attention, verbal fluency, and visual/spacial ability and 25% faster in executive function compared with people who ate the least amount of highly processed foods. Highly processed foods include pre-prepared frozen foods, potato chips and pretzels, ice cream, store-bought bread, cookies, cake mixes, cereals, packaged snack foods, and more.
Fried foods – French fries, fried chicken, fried jalapeno poppers, batter-dipped deep-fried Oreo cookies, fried okra, and their ilk—are among the most ultra-processed foods on the planet. They are also among the most inflammatory foods you can possibly eat, which suggests a possible reason for the results of a large study of more than 18,000 people from a region of the Southeast known as the “stroke belt,” where “southern-fried” cooking is prevalent.
The connection between fried foods and blood-vessel inflammation is well established from other studies. This one, published in the Journal of Nutritional Science, demonstrated that participants whose diets included the most fried foods scored lowest on tests of memory and cognition.
Jeff Csatari
editing Galvanized Media books and magazines and for advising journalism
students through the Zinczenko New Media Center at Moravian University in Bethlehem, PA. Read more