Cold weather, Thanksgiving, and the proceeding holiday season is a time when many gym goers cut themselves some slack and a generous serving of high fat treats like cheese and cream, but while indulging in too many calories could derail your weight loss goals, experts have found a surprisingly positive link between these foods and a reduced risk of dementia. The new study, carried out by the American Academy of Neurology, looked at cream and cheeses made up of more than 20% fat, including favorites like cheddar, Brie and Gouda. And, while the experts are yet to pinpoint the link between these products and a lowered risk of dementia, the association is clear.
How Was the Study Carried Out?
Researchers observed the health and dietary habits from a pool of more than 25,000 Swedish adults starting with an average age of 58. The individuals were then tracked for around 25 years. In one aspect of the study, scientists compared those who ate approximately 1.8 ounces/ 50 grams of high fat cheese, that’s around two slices of cheddar per day, with people who consumed less than 15 grams. They also looked at those who ate 0.7 ounces/20 grams or more per day of full fat cream. That’s around 1.4 tablespoons and upward, compared with those who didn’t consume any cream at all.
What Were the Results?
The research team concluded that those who ate a larger amount of high fat cheese received an average 13% lower risk of dementia overall. The association was even more startling when focusing on the risks of vascular dementia, where a 29% lower risk was observed. Those who ate at least 1.4 tablespoons of cream were linked to a 16% lower risk of dementia when contrasted with those who abstained.
“These findings suggest that when it comes to brain health not all dairy is equal,” commented Emily Sonestedt, a Ph.D. working at Lund University in Sweden. “While eating more high-fat cheese and cream was linked to a reduced risk of dementia, other dairy products and low-fat alternatives did not show the same effect. More research is needed to confirm our study results and further explore whether consuming certain high-fat dairy truly offers some level of protection for the brain.”
While high fat dairy should be balanced with individual energy requirements due to its calorific density and potentially high sodium content, there’s no doubt that cheese offers many health benefits too, such as high levels of protein, calcium, and minerals such as zinc. “For decades, the debate over high fat versus low-fat diets has shaped health advice, sometimes even categorizing cheese as an unhealthy food to limit,” commented Sonestedt. “Our study found that some high-fat dairy products may actually lower the risk of dementia, challenging some long-held assumptions about fat and brain health.”
Scientists emphasize that while this study provides plenty of ‘food for thought’, further research is needed to better understand the link between high fat foods and brain health.