Mom was right! Fish IS brain food. Eating fatty fish regularly, such as wild salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel, and bluefish, will help you keep your mind working now and actually reduce your future risk for cognitive impairment, according to researchers in The Netherlands. But beware: The study also found that those who eat foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat have an increased risk of cognitive impairment during middle age, reports Ivanhoe Newswire.
The study: From 1995 to 2000, 1,613 men and women between the ages of 45 to 70 years old underwent a series of cognitive tests and completed food questionnaires about their diets. The researchers were looking for a correlation between the risk for cognitive problems and the amount of fatty fish with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids that was consumed.
The results: Those who ate more fatty fish and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids had a reduced risk of cognitive problems. But the researchers also realized that people who consumed the most dietary cholesterol were more likely to have an increased problem with memory and flexibility. Plus, researchers say the higher their saturated fat intake, the higher the increase in the risk of impaired memory, speed, and flexibility, reports Ivanhoe Newswire.
What still remains to be proven is whether changing our diets to include more fish with omega-3 fatty acids will actually reduce neurodegenerative disorders, but this study does indicate there is an association between the two. Someday, your doctor may tell you: Eat wild salmon. Prevent dementia.
The study findings were published in the journal Neurology.