5 dangerous products for your brain
Our brain is the most important and, perhaps, the most unexplored organ of our body. While the brain accounts for only about 2% of body weight, it consumes 20% of the energy produced by the body. Every minute, about 20% of the blood passes through it, and the amount of neurons in the brain is 16 times larger than population of the Earth. It is interesting that the brain can be trained and developed. Scientists have proved that the clarity of the mind depends on many factors: on the amount of knowledge, on physical activity, on the way of life and, of course, on nutrition.
Meet the products that worsen your memory and mood while increasing the risk of dementia.
1. Food with a high content of trans fats. Modified molecules appearing in unsaturated (vegetable) oils and fats in the process of high-temperature cooking Trans fats are contained in the store bakery products, sweets, mayonnaise and sauces, semifinished products, fast food. Studies show that high consumption of trans fats increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease, worsens memory, reduces cognitive functions of the brain.
2. Products of high processing: chips, popcorn, "quick" noodles, ready-to-eat sauces, ham and sausages. The composition of such food includes a high percentage of sugars, salts, flavor enhancers, trans fats. The consumption of such products causes increased visceral fat which leads to excess weight, problems with sugar level and cholesterol. The content of nutrients in "fast" food is extremely low. Scientists have found a link between the amount of processed food and the ability to memorize and learn.
3. Refined carbohydrates. Carbohydrates give energy to our brain, in fact, 20% of the energy obtained is used by the brain function. At the same time, refined (fast) carbohydrates harm the brain . Sugar, processed white flour, carbonated sweet drinks, juices, quick breakfasts have a very high glycemic index. The usage of these products leads to an increased glucose level in the blood and a high level of insulin. The result is a constant inflammatory processes, glycation, problems with the formation of neural connections in the brain.
4. Aspartame. You consume all your drinks without sugar and it seems to make life easier for your body. In fact, it is a chemical compound that is able to penetrate all barriers in the brain and disrupt the work of neuromediatricians. Researches prove that people who eat foods with sweeteners are more irritable and prone to depression. Regular usage of aspartame increases the oxidative stress of the body.
5. Alcohol. Excessive consumption of alcohol leads to irreversible brain damage. People who consume alcohol regularly experience a decrease in brain size, damage to neurotransmitters, a deficiency of vitamins responsible for metabolic processes in the brain cells. Uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages can lead to disturbances in the emotional state, memory impairment, cognitive decline, depression.
Psychological health, as well as physical, depends entirely on your lifestyle, nutrition, physical activity, quality sleep, and the absence of bad habits. Take care not only about the health of the body, but also your brain.
Links:
Nutrient biomarker patterns, cognitive function, and MRI measures of brain aging
Habitual fat intake predicts memory function in younger women
Saturated and trans fats and dementia: a systematic review
Direct and indirect cellular effects of aspartame on the brain
Nutrient patterns and brain biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in cognitively normal individuals
Clinical and pathological features of alcohol-related brain damage