A new study suggests that a four-week diet that includes highly processed foods leads to inflammatory responses in the brain. In addition to the inflammatory process, behavioral signs of memory loss also occurred. However, the study authors also found that supplementing the processedFood with the omega-3 fatty acidcalled docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) prevents memory problems. In addition, the team was able to almost completely reduce the inflammatory effects in older laboratory mice.
Why highly processed foods should be avoided as you age
The diet used in this research mimicked ready-to-eat human foods, often packaged for a long shelf life. Highly processed foods of this type include potato chips and other snacks, frozen entrees such as pasta dishes and pizzas, and sausage products with preservatives. Scientists link these to obesity and diabetes. This suggests that older consumers should avoid processed foods and add DHA-rich foods such as salmon to their diet. This is especially true given the damage to the aged brain in this study, which was seen in just four weeks. The results show that consuming a processed diet can lead to significant and abrupt memory deficits in old age. In addition, this increases the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease or memory loss.
However, omega-3 supplementation had no preventive effect on weight gain when it came to highly processed foods in the study. Therefore, according to the study authors, a generally healthier diet would be better than simply combining junk food with omega-3. Low-fat diets are often promoted these days, but they mostly contain highly processed foods. In addition, the intake of fiber is limited, while refined carbohydrates dominate the products. People who are used to looking at nutritional information need to pay attention to the fiber and quality of the carbohydrates. In addition, the researchers were able tothis studyshow that such dietary changes play a critical role in maintaining cognitive health. Future research could provide more information about the exact dosage of DHA, or about calories and nutrients.
