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Andy’s Quick Hits (112): Highly Processed Food Damages the Ageing Brain
Oh that sounds worrying!
It is indeed!
And what types of food is it?
Well, this piece of research focused on highly-processed foods rather than those “healthy/unhealthy” foods, say, because of their fat or salt profiles.
And what does that include?
Anything that is processed for a long shelf life such as potato chips and frozen meals or meats with high preservatives.
And what did the research show
Well, the research by Michael Butler et al. at Ohio State University fed rats a diet high in processed food, or a diet on normal chow, or a diet high in processed food but with Omega-3 supplements.
After just a month the older mice show increased signs of brain inflammation and impaired memory function.
And the younger mice?
They seem barely affected by this diet maybe because their young biology can deal with this dietary abuse better.
And what about the Omega-3 group?
The Omega-3 groups fared better — it seems as if this protects against the inflammation and cognitive decline seen.
