Too Much Processed Meat May Affect Brain Health
People who habitually eat processed meat, such as bacon, sausage, and bologna, appear to have an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. That’s according to a recent study led by researchers from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, which followed 133,771 people for up to 43 years. They found that individuals who regularly consumed processed meat had a 13 percent higher risk of dementia compared to those who ate the least. Interestingly, eating unprocessed red meat did not show a significant impact on dementia risk.
Additionally, higher consumption of processed meat was linked to faster brain aging. For example, each extra serving per day was associated with nearly 1.7 years of faster cognitive decline in verbal memory. Conversely, replacing processed meat with healthier alternatives like nuts, fish, or chicken was associated with a lower risk of dementia and slower cognitive aging. Replacing one serving of processed red meat with nuts or legumes reduced dementia risk by 19 percent, with fish showing a 28 percent reduction.
Try this recipe today: Monte Cristo Salmon Sandwich
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