Fried foods are one of the categories to avoid if you want to stave off dementia. Photo / Getty Images
A new study has found that avoiding five certain foods slashes the risk of developing Alzheimer’s in half. Here’s what you need to know.
When planning our weekly food shop, we think about what we’re in the mood to eat, what veg is in season and who we’re feeding. Now, experts want us to add another consideration to that list – which items in your basket will increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s?
Their advice is based on research from scientists at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. They developed a food plan by bringing together principles from the Mediterranean and high blood pressure diets. It’s rich in leafy greens, nuts, berries, beans, wholegrains, fish, poultry and olive oil.
It also involves limiting consumption of five designated unhealthy foods. A Rush University study suggested that following the diet slashes the risk of developing Alzheimer’s in half, while those who follow the principles more loosely still benefit from a 35% lower risk. Here are the foods they want us to cut back on – and why.
Limit yourself to: Once a week or less
Whether fish and chips, burgers or a bucket of onion rings are your vice, they all count as fried or fast food – and are typically high in salt. It’s a good idea to limit your salt intake to one teaspoon (6g) a day, but a portion of fish and chips alone can account for almost all of that (5g).
“Too much salt can increase blood pressure and have a negative effect on brain health,” explains Dr Oliver Shannon, a lecturer in nutrition and ageing at Newcastle University.
High blood pressure damages blood vessels, including those leading to the brain. This can interrupt the flow of blood and ultimately lead to vascular dementia.
Fried and fast foods also “tend to be highly calorific, which could contribute towards weight gain”, he says. Obese people are two to three times more likely to have high blood pressure and tend to be less physically active – another dementia contributor.
Then, there’s the fact that these junk foods are high in saturated fats. “Some evidence suggests that a higher intake of saturated fats can increase the risk of poor vascular health and dementia,” Dr Shannon notes.
Limit yourself to: Less than once a week
We’re a nation of cheese lovers, sticking it on crackers, stuffing it in sandwiches and grating heaps on top of baked potatoes. Cheddar, Stilton and brie typically top the charts as our favourites. But they may not be great for our brain health.
Typically, they are high in saturated fat. We should be eating no more than 30g daily, but a small matchbox-sized piece of cheese has around 7g. It’s also fattening, with a small 30g slice packing in 125 calories.
However, “the evidence regarding cheese intake and brain health is far from clear cut”, says Dr Shannon. “Nevertheless, cheese is rich in calories and if you eat a lot regularly it could lead to weight gain, which may have negative consequences for brain health,” he notes.
Limit yourself to: Four times a week or less
For meat-eaters, a chunky piece of rib-eye, a couple of sausages at a barbecue or a bacon sandwich are sublime. But, unfortunately, too much of any red meat may hamper our future brain health.
“There appears to be increasingly strong evidence that consuming processed meat like bacon, ham or sausages is associated with an increased risk of dementia,” says Dr Shannon. This category also includes deli meat, canned meat and patés.
“A negative effect of processed meat on dementia risk is biologically plausible, given strong evidence linking processed meat intake to other health outcomes like heart disease, stroke and diabetes, which are known risk factors for dementia,” Shannon says.
“On the other hand, there is less evidence that consuming unprocessed or fresh red meat influences dementia risk,” he notes. This includes beef, venison and lamb.
The NHS recommends cutting down red or processed meat intake to 70g a day (around one sausage or two rashers of bacon), if you currently eat more than 90g. “Try replacing these with pulses, white meat or fish,” Shannon adds.
Limit yourself to: Less than five times a week
Croissants, Cornish pasties and chocolate are rich in free sugars (those that are added to food, as opposed to those that occur naturally).
Eating too much of these treats over time will lead to weight gain and continuous spikes in blood sugar levels – two dementia risk factors, Shannon notes.
To help prevent dementia, cut your intake to five portions a week or less. A single portion would be one Cornish pasty, a croissant or five squares of chocolate.
Sugary drinks also count. “There is emerging evidence that regularly having a high intake of sugar-sweetened drinks (two or more per day) is associated with around a 30 per cent increased risk of dementia [versus no consumption],” he says. This includes fizzy drinks, squash and cordial. But some studies suggest tea and coffee also fall into this category, if sugar is added.
Limit yourself to: Less than one tablespoon a day
Like fried and fast foods, butter is calorific and high in saturated fats. One tablespoon (14g) contains around 100 calories and 7g of saturated fat – and we typically use much more when frying a steak or smothering a slice of toast.
Too much can cause problems in our blood vessels and, over time, in our brain. It can also raise our cholesterol levels, which is another dementia risk factor.
“On the contrary, consuming polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (which you’ll find in olive oil) are believed to be good for cardiovascular and brain health,” notes Dr Shannon. So swapping to those for cooking is a sensible idea.