Do you want to preserve your brain health? Avoid meat and processed drinks — they are the ones that cause the most harm.
Using data from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, a team of researchers tracked 4,750 U.S. residents ages 55 and older to assess how their health evolved over a period of up to 7 years, assessing their cognitive status every two years from 2014 to 2020.
It is already known that the health costs of a diet rich in UPFs (ultra-processed foods) include obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression and increased mortality from all causes.
As would be expected, therefore, Diets high in ultra-processed foods also have a detrimental impact on brain health. But what foods exactly?
The authors of the published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that the worst food for our brain is red meat and ultra-processed drinks.
As sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soft drinks, iced teas, and sweetened fruit juiceswere only slightly less harmful to the brain.
“There are things that can be changed,” he tells Brenda Davy, professor of human nutrition, food and exercise at Virginia Tech and co-author of the study. “It’s about moderation, common sense and balance in your food choices.”
The authors also suggest that cooking classes can offer a crucial health intervention. Knowing what you are eating can help you make better choices.
