It’s well-known that ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are not good for overall health — but new research has uncovered further evidence that this diet could negatively impact the brain.The study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia by the Alzheimer’s Association, revealed that UPFs are linked to more than 30 adverse health outcomes, including several dementia risk factors, like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.Researchers from Australia’s Monash University analyzed more than 2,000 dementia-free Australian adults between the ages of 40 and 70, comparing their diets to cognitive function.BLOOD PRESSURE AND DEMENTIA RISK SHARE SURPRISING LINK, STUDY SUGGESTSThey found that each 10% increase in UPF intake was associated with lower attention scores and higher dementia risk, regardless of whether the adults typically followed a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean diet.There was no significant link found between UPF consumption and memory.By identifying food processing as a contributor to poorer cognition, the study "supports the need to refine dietary guidelines," the researchers concluded.DR NICOLE SAPHIER ON ULTRAPROCESSED FOODS IN AMERICA: ‘PEOPLE PROFIT OFF ADDICTION’As the data was self-reported, this could pose a limitation to the strength of the findings, the team noted.In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Daniel Amen, a California-based psychiatrist and founder of Amen Clinics, discussed how diet has a "powerful impact" on the brain."Your brain is an energy-hungry organ," he said. "It uses about 20% of the calories you consume, so the quality of those calories matters."Food is either "medicine or poison," according to the doctor, who called out ultraprocessed foods like packaged snacks, soft drinks and ready-made meals that tend to be higher in sugar, unhealthy fats, additives and low-quality ingredients.DEMENTIA RISK FOR PEOPLE 55 AND OLDER HAS DOUBLED, NEW STUDY FINDSThese foods can promote inflammation, insulin resistance, poor blood flow and oxidative stress, all of which are "bad for the brain," according to Amen.The brain expert noted that the study revealed even a 10% increase in ultraprocessed food intake – equivalent to roughly a pack of chips per day – was linked to a "measurable drop in attention, even when people had otherwise healthy diets.""Attention is the gateway to learning, memory, decision-making and problem-solving," Amen said. "If you can’t focus, you can’t fully encode information."CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIESThe "big takeaway," according to the doctor, is to "love foods that love you back.""You may love the taste of chips, cookies and candy, but they… [TheTopNews] Read More.
2 days ago
