A preliminary new study found that consuming about 1 ounce of processed red meat daily increases the risk of dementia by 14%. This equates to less than two 3-ounce servings per week, whereas eating around three servings per month. However, replacing a small daily amount of processed red meat with nuts and legumes reduces the dementia risk by 20%. Processed red meats like bacon, sausages, hot dogs, and deli meats typically contain high levels of sodium, nitrates, and saturated fats. Studies have shown that high consumption of these meats is closely linked to the development of colon cancer, other cancers, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. This study is observational and can only show an association, not causation, noted Dr. David Katz, an expert in preventive and lifestyle medicine who was not involved in the research.
Red meat, especially processed red meat as seen here, is linked to an unhealthy heart and brain. Olha_Afanasieva/iStockphoto/Getty Images
The study, whose abstract will be presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia, gathered dietary data from over 130,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study over thirty years. Participants were asked how often they ate processed red meat and were also questioned about their consumption of nuts and legumes. Dr. Maria Carrillo, Chief Science Officer at the Alzheimer’s Association, highlighted that these are anti-inflammatory foods and offer multiple benefits beyond reducing toxins, nitrates, and sodium found in processed meats.
The study found that beyond the 14% cognitive decline associated with consuming about two servings of processed red meat per week, each additional serving increased the risk. According to the research, every added daily serving resulted in cognitive aging equivalent to 1.61 years in global cognition and 1.69 years in verbal memory. Global cognition provides a broad overview of cognitive function, and verbal memory is a crucial predictor of Alzheimer’s disease. The lead author, Yuhan Li, emphasized the importance of a comprehensive dietary approach, suggesting that simple swaps, such as replacing animal products with plant-based ones, and adopting heart-healthy eating patterns like the Mediterranean and DASH diets, can significantly benefit cognitive health.
