Good news for wine and cheese lovers: Consuming both could help the brain in old age.
Wine and cheese * are a dream couple, but not just because of the taste!
Iowa State University researchers found in a study that
diet can make a
significant contribution
to reducing
cognitive decline in old age
.
Food has an impact on cognitive skills
The
foods
we eat can have a direct impact on our
cognitive abilities
in later years
.
This is the key finding from an Iowa State University research study.
In the November 2020 issue of the "Journal of Alzheimer's Disease" said study was examined in more detail.
The team analyzed data from
1,787 aging adults
(46 to 77 years old) in the United Kingdom.
The participants completed a so-called Fluid Intelligence Test (FIT) as part of a touchscreen questionnaire at the start of the study (between 2006 and 2010) and then in two subsequent assessments (carried out from 2012 to 2013 and again between 2015 and 2016).
The FIT analysis provides a real-time snapshot of a person's ability to think “on the fly”, that is, spontaneously and without preparation.
The participants also answered questions about their
food and alcohol consumption
at the start of the study and in two follow-up surveys.
The participants were asked about their intake of:
fresh fruits, dried fruits, raw vegetables and lettuce, cooked vegetables
oily fish, lean fish, processed meat, poultry, beef, lamb, pork
Cheese, bread, cereal, tea and coffee
Beer and cider, red wine, white wine, champagne and brandy
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Results of the study: cheese and wine protect against cognitive problems
Cheese
turned out to be by far the most protective
food against age-related cognitive problems
, even late in life.
Daily consumption of alcohol, especially
red wine
, was associated with improvements in cognitive function.
Weekly consumption of
lamb
, but not other red meat, improves long-term cognitive abilities.
Excessive
salt consumption
is bad - but only those who are already at
risk of Alzheimer's
may need to watch their intake to avoid cognitive problems over time.
For the researchers, the results indicate that responsible
consumption of cheese and red wine
can help cope with an increasingly complex world that is turning faster and faster.
However, it still needs to be examined whether the results can be attributed to the fact that these are foods from rather wealthy people.
Randomized clinical trials are still needed
to test whether simple changes in
diet
can help
the
brain
in a significant way.
Even so, the study leaders believe that the
right food choices
can prevent Alzheimer's and cognitive decline altogether.
(mad) * Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
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