PROCESSED RED MEAT could increase DEMENTIA Risk

Processed red meat… increases dementia Risk?

“Eating processed red meat like bacon and sausages could increase the risk of dementia by 20%” according to a just released abstract from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

Watch or read…

The conclusion stated that by replacing one daily serving of processed red meat for a daily serving of nuts, beans, or tofu, every single day may lower the risk of dementia by 20%. I’ve just been looking at the findings and wanted to give you my own thoughts about the study, and it’s not surprising to me at all.

This was a large scale study tracking the dietary habits of 130,000 health professionals in the United States over a significantly long period of time- 43 years. These were self-recorded questionnaires, which are not the gold standard for research but do give an indication worthy of further investigation.

Participants were asked to record how much processed meat they ate and also to record healthier foods like nuts, pulses and tofu.

What they found from the study is that those people who ate two servings of processed red meat every week were 14% more likely to develop dementia compared to those who only consumed 3 servings a month.

What I’m very pleased about with this study is they were quick to point out that unprocessed red meat is not a problem with regard to dementia risk. Hallelujah! They’re not demonising red meat in this study and saying all saturated fat is bad for you. It is so good that a clear differentiation has been made.

Processed Red Meat

Processed red meat includes bacon, ham, sausages, burgers, salami. The processed red meats that you buy, not a burger that you might make at home, from scratch with 100% natural ingredients. In fact these are actually classified as “ultra processed foods” undergoing significant processing with the addition of salt, (cheap) fats, sugars and other additives like fillers and flavourings. This is the word we’re starting to hear a lot about, and I first reported on the NOVA classification of Ultra Processed Foods 3 years ago!

Just to reiterate, the “riskier” foods are not your standard red meats, like eating a steak or a piece of lamb. They also asked people to track their consumption of walnuts, other nuts, legumes like chickpeas, lentils. They particularly picked up on the tofu. It’s not so much that it’s the plant based protein like tofu that is “healthier”; I believe it’s more the comparison of stripping out the processed foods and eating more plant based foods. For a healthy brain and body, you should also be eating good fats every day that you find in the nuts and seeds (tracked in the study) and the fibre that you get from all of these foods too.

In summary, to help protect your brain from cognitive risks like dementia, you should start to look at reducing your overall intake of processed foods and particularly ultra processed foods and upping your intake of plant based foods like vegetables, good fats from nuts, seeds and other sources and focus on good quality unprocessed protein sources.

The stream of new studies on how nutrition can affect brain health is starting to raise awareness and as part of that momentum I created my Supercharge Your Brain Retreat, which takes place 16th October 2024.

On this retreat, we’ll look deeper into topics like these, exploring the 8 nutrition and lifestyle habits that can keep your brain healthy and lower your risk of cognitive decline. (In stunning surroundings and enjoying incredible food and drink🥰)

Places are extremely limited so I recommend booking now.

Click here to see the retreat and book your place.

Need help or advice? Book a free Discovery Call

If you suffer any symptoms you can’t resolve or you are unsure about your diet and health, why not book a free discovery call? Simply visit www.peytonprinciples.com, or email caroline@peytonprinciples.com

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Again, thanks for reading.

Keep your eye out for more articles and Peyton Principles in the media.

Caroline

A little more about me…

Providing expert, personalised, health advice utilising 10 years of nutritional therapy and naturopathy experience with a strong emphasis on digestion and gut health. Zoom or face to face Consultations.

I also develop and deliver well-being in the workplace workshops.