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Asked by anon-284762 to Ellen on 27 Mar 2021.
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Ellen Smith answered on 3 Mar 2021:
It’s hard to say specific foods that might be ‘bad’ for your brain function. But what we can do is look at different diet styles that might have a negative effect on health and brain function. One of these is the Western diet, which is typically consumed in ‘Westernised’ countries like the UK and USA. This diet normally includes a high consumption of highly processed foods which contain high amounts of saturated fats with added sugar, salt and food additives. It also typically contains little healthy (unsaturated) fats, fruits, vegetables and dietary fibre – which might mean people are at a higher risk of developing vitamin deficiencies. Eating this diet might cause an increased risk of developing diseases like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and can also impact upon cognitive function.
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Comments
Dennis commented on :
Hi Jessica. I can’t name a particular food. Also, Ellen gave a good summary of the link between diet and mental health. I just want to add that some studies suggest that people who consume a Mediterranean diet have less small blood vessel damage in their brain.
laraquartel commented on :
Hi Jessica,
I agree with the two scientists above! I would also like to add that there is some research that ‘type 3 diabetes’ – a diet high in sugar can really impact the brain, particularly in causing things like dementia and Alzheimer’s, which in turn effect how we think and what we can remember.