Eating processed, sugary or fried foods is the number one habit that can lead to premature brain aging and cognitive decline, increasing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. A new study published on January 7 in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association noted that eating foods found in the typical Western diet may actually undo the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which is proven to be healthy for the heart and brain.
According to Eat This, Not That!, Researchers followed more than 5,000 people for 20 years and found that those who followed the Mediterranean diet that emphasized fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish while avoiding red meat, processed foods and fried, they had brains that were 5.8 years younger than people who deviated from the diet.
“The participants with the slowest cognitive decline over the years of follow-up were those who adhered more to the Mediterranean diet, along with limiting foods that are part of the Western diet, while the participants who ate more of the Western diet had no beneficial effect of healthy eating. components in slowing cognitive decline, ”wrote the study authors.
Puja Agarwal, Ph.D., a leading researcher in the Rush University Medical Center study, said ScienceDaily that “eating a diet that emphasizes vegetables, fresh fruits, fish and whole grains can positively affect a person’s health. But when it is combined with fried foods, sweets, refined grains and red meats and processed meats, we find that the benefits of eating the Mediterranean part of the diet seem to diminish. “
Agarwal added that the more “we incorporate vegetables, berries, olive oil and fish into our diets, the better it will be for our aging brains and bodies”, according to Eat This, Not That! More benefits and information about the Mediterranean diet can be found on here.
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