It’s a
fact that everything you eat has a massive impact not only to your
physical health, but also to your cognitive function. You may not know
it, but as you eat certain foods, your memory and brain power may
eventually slow down. With that in mind, it helps to be aware of these
foods that can negatively affect your brain functioning – and try your
best to cut down or eliminate these in your diet. Find out more about
these
foods (and substances) that do not deserve to be a part of your
everyday meals, so you can prevent cognitive decline while ensuring good
health.
1. Fast Food
Most kids these days including busy
parents rely on fast food for their regular meals for very simple
reasons – they’re tasty and easy to prepare. In fact, all you need is to
go to the nearest drive-thru and take your pick from a wide range of
fast food items available – burger, fries, chips, and sundae. In a
flash, you can get your food from the takeout counter and start munching
away to satisfy that hunger. However, you’re putting yourself into
serious health issues by getting into the habit of eating fast food.
According to British studies, about 4000 kids who were regularly fed
with fast food since they were about 3 years old had a significant drop
in their IQ levels upon reaching middle-school. Hence, it helps to
introduce your kids to a healthy diet even at a young age to enhance
brain development and intelligence.
2. Sugar-rich Foods
Doughnuts, chocolate, candies – you name
it, kids and adults love it! But did you know that sugary foods aren’t
that great when you want to trim your waistline or ace an upcoming exam
in school? Other than making you feel hyper with that intense sugar
rush, these foods barely do anything good to your brain function.
Researchers from UCLA conducted experiments on rats that were
supplemented with fructose, and they discovered how these animals
struggled in finding their way out the maze while high in sugar. On the
other hand, another group of rats that were fed with fructose and
omega-3 fatty acids did much better in the experiment as they found
themselves out the tricky maze. This goes without saying that loading up
on a strictly fructose-rich diet can have a drawback to your memory and
learning abilities. Too much sugar leads to poor brain activity as the
insulin is no longer capable of helping your brain cells to process
emotions and thoughts efficiently.
3. Chewing Gum
While some people vouch on gum’s amazing
power to help them minimize food cravings, it may have a negative
effect in your cognition over time. In a study by British health
researchers, it revealed how people who loved to chew gum prior to and
during memorization activities suffered from short-term memory
impairment. This scientific study only included a few people, though,
which means further research and experiments are necessary to prove
gum’s ability to slow down memory.
4. Butter and Saturated Fats
Aside from impacting your heart
negatively, consuming foods that are high in saturated fats such as
butter can impede your brain function. This was based on the study by
Harvard University researchers after they performed tests on a large
group of women who had a habit of consuming foods high in saturated fats
for a period of 4 years. When these women took the brain function test,
their scores were much lower than those who consumed foods rich in
monounsaturated fats. So, you can boost your memory and cognition by
avoiding or limiting saturated fat content in your diet.
5. Very Low Carb Diet
Everyone knows that carbs affect your
mood and brain power, so by cutting down on foods rich in carbs, you may
end up zapping your brain power, as well. A controlled group study by
Tufts University researchers revealed that women who avoided carbs in
their diet performed poorer in memory-based tests, as compared to
individuals who followed a balanced diet. This test included women
between 22 and 55 years old, and those who remained on a low-carb diet
had a drop in their cognitive skills. Hence, it helps to go for
healthier food choices such as brown rice and whole grain products
instead of completely eliminating carbohydrates in your regular meals.
6. Processed Food Products
Crazy about canned or packaged food
items that you can buy easily at convenience stores? If so, then you’re
up for serious mental decline as you get older. Researchers have
discovered that people who frequently consumed foods high in artificial
flavors, trans fats, additives, food coloring and salt suffer from poor
memory, learning issues and inability to focus more. Scientists at the
University of Bristol attest to the negative effects of processed foods
to kids’ IQ levels, aside from a decreased immune system and
susceptibility to infections. These children also had growth and
development issues because of the empty calories and bad chemicals found
in packaged foods.
7. Fried Foods
If
anything fatty, fried and oily sounds like a great dish for you, then
you’re likely to suffer from poor cognitive function as you progress in
your life. Bacon, fries, and other fried dishes may be addictive, but
you should know better to avoid them unless you’re fine with having poor
memory even before you reach old age. These foods destroy healthy nerve
cells in your brain, which lead to brain-related health issues when you
continue with this type of diet.
It
pays to be mindful of what you eat before things get worse, or when you
can no longer reverse the negative impact on your health. Keeping your
brain healthy is just what you need to perform well in life even in your
old age, so you should make a conscious effort to eat a balanced diet
and avoid unhealthy foods such as the ones listed here. Sure, it may be
tough at first to get rid of these foods that you’ve grown to love, but
your effort will pay off when you notice a boost in your memory and
brain power by pursuing a healthy diet.
source: life span
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