We have all heard that eating sugary, fried and processed foods can hinder progress when following a diet. But a new study emphasizes the serious health risks that come with this easy eating habit – and may actually cancel out the benefits of the Mediterranean diet.
Posted in Alzheimer’s and dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association on January 7, 2021, the study evaluated the effect of “Western diet” foods on older adults. This includes fried foods, sweets, red and processed meats, whole dairy products. Following a strict Mediterranean diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds and vegetables and limiting other types of food is equal to the brain being 5.8 years younger, scientists found. (Related: The 7 healthiest foods to eat now.)
The 5,001 participants had been following the Mediterranean diet for almost 20 years. Out of three, they filled out a form detailing how often they ate 144 foods. The scientists found that “The participants with the slowest cognitive decline over the years of follow-up were those who adhered most to the Mediterranean diet, along with limiting foods that are part of the Western diet, while participants who ate most of the Western diet had no beneficial effect of healthy food components in reducing cognitive decline. “
Similar results are found in studies of other diets like DASH, says one of the study’s authors, Puja Agarwal, PhD, nutritional epidemiologist and assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush Medical College.
“Other studies show that red and processed meat, fried foods and low consumption of whole grains are associated with increased inflammation and faster cognitive decline at older ages,” said Agarwal, according to ScienceDaily. “The more we can incorporate green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, berries, olive oil and fish into our diets, the better it will be for our aging brains and bodies.”
For tips on how to reduce “Western diet” foods and get the most out of the Mediterranean diet, here are 33 easy vegetable-based recipes that even carnivores will love and 15 Mediterranean diet changes for your favorite meals.
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