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When you're wondering what foods and drinks are the best to consume for overall health, it may be wise to pay attention to what your doctor does.
Dementia can't be totally prevented or cured, but you can delay symptoms with certain lifestyle choices. Some habits done in youth can even set you up for dementia when you're older, so it's important to practice healthy routines from an early age.
Diet can play a role in cognitive decline, and there's some foods and drinks that neurologists themselves will stay away from. While you may not realize it, the food you eat can impact every aspect of your health, even your brain.
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Here are the three foods and drinks neurologists stay away from for better brain health.
Soda
There are several health risks that can come from frequently eating the sugary beverage, and one of them is a higher chance of premature dementia and stroke.
Neurologist Dr. Shaheen Lakhan told HuffPost that the high sugar concentration in soda can cause severe harm to the blood vessels pumping blood to your brain.
“Soda is one of the worst foods for brain health due to the high concentration of simple sugars, which damage the blood vessels supplying the brain,” he said.
“Over time, this starves the brain from the very fuels it needs to function, leading to premature dementia and strokes. Acutely, sugar also causes brain inflammation, irritability, poor mood and sleep disturbances.”
It can also cause your brain to crave sugar, creating a cycle. You're not off the hook with diet soda either, as the artificial sweetener still produces those sugar cravings.
Margarine
While you may have thought butter was bad for you, it turns out fake butter isn't much better. Dr. Shae Datta said margarine contains trans fats, which can cause harm in your body like raising cholesterol, while butter contains natural milk fat.
“We often hear that trans fats aren’t good for your heart and blood vessels. The same applies to the vessels of the brain,” she said.
“A study from the journal Neurology found that older adults who had the highest levels of elaidic acid (a common type of trans fat) in their blood were more likely to develop dementia. Better to stick to olive oil and real butter.”
French Fries
French Fries also made the worst foods list. Dr. Pedram Navab said he actively avoids them, as they can cause damage to your brain and lead to cognitive issues.
“A diet that incorporates fatty foods like French fries can damage blood vessels that supply the brain, causing cognitive impairment,” he said.
“It reduces the blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and leads to neuronal damage of the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is instrumental for learning and memory.”
