Cheese and wine help protect against dementia, but only one food should be cut out

Eating cheese, a daily glass of red wine and lamb once a week can prevent Alzheimer’s disease even late in life, a British study has shown. Researchers have found that the best way to reduce the risk of dementia is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and eat certain foods that increase protein levels in the brain to protect it from damage.

But too much salt has been shown to be the biggest contributor to impaired cognitive function if you were already at risk. In the first study of its kind, cognitive ability can be improved in older age by indulging in red wine, cheese and a weekly meal of lamb.

The team from Iowa State University analyzed nearly 1,800 Britons aged 46 to 77, comparing their diet with their ability to think quickly and accurately over a decade. Participants were asked about their consumption of fresh fruit, dried fruit, raw vegetables and salad, cooked vegetables, fatty fish, lean fish, processed meat, poultry, beef, lamb, pork, cheese, bread, cereals, tea and coffee , beer and cider, red wine, white wine and champagne and spirits.

They also completed a fluid intelligence test (FIT) as part of the touchscreen questionnaire compiled between 2006 and 2010 and then in two subsequent assessments in 2012-2013 and again in 2015-2016). The test provides a snapshot of an individual’s ability to “think on the fly.”

Cheese, by far, has been shown to be the most protective food against age-related cognitive problems, even later in life. Daily alcohol consumption, especially red wine, and a weekly meal of lamb, but not other red meat, were found to improve long-term cognitive ability.

High salt levels have been found to be the worst offender, with individuals at risk of Alzheimer’s warned to watch their intake to avoid cognitive problems over time. Dr Auriel Willette, Assistant Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition, said: “I was pleasantly surprised that our results suggest that responsible consumption of cheese and daily consumption of red wine are not only good for helping us cope with our pandemic current COVID-19, but perhaps also dealing with an increasingly complex world that never seems to slow down.

“While we considered whether this was just due to what wealthy people eat and drink, randomized clinical trials are needed to determine whether slightly changing our diet could help the brain in meaningful ways.”

Neuroscience PhD candidate Brandon Klinedinst added: “Depending on what genetic factors you carry, some individuals appear to be more protected from the effects of Alzheimer’s, while others appear to be at greater risk. That being said, I believe that the right food choices can prevent disease and cognitive decline altogether.

“Maybe the silver bullet we’re looking for is improving the way we eat. Knowing what this means contributes to a better understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and to putting this disease on a reverse trajectory.”

The team analyzed data from 1,787 people in the UK via the UK Biobank. This is a large-scale biomedical database and research resource containing in-depth genetic and health information from half a million participants in the UK.

The database is globally accessible to approved researchers conducting vital research on the world’s most common life-threatening diseases. Previous studies have shown that low-fat cheese like mozzarella and other dairy products like yogurt are the most beneficial for cognitive health, while cream, cheddar and processed American cheese are among the least beneficial for brain power .

The findings were published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.