Dementia risk can be slashed by tasty ingredient popular in sandwiches
22.09.2023 - 14:51
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
Scientists have just discovered that a common kitchen ingredient often used in sandwiches could help lower the risks of dementia.
Although there is not yet a cure for the devastating condition that affects hundreds of thousands of people in the UK, researchers are constantly working to find out how to lower the chances of developing it in older age.
And a new study has revealed that one popular dairy product can help to improve cognitive function, suggesting that it may make people less likely to be diagnosed with dementia.
A team of scientists in Tokyo found that eating cheese regularly helped people perform better in cognitive tests than those who didn't, according to findings published in the journal Nutrients.
They examined 1,516 participants aged 65 and over, collecting data on a wide range of factors such as diet, physical exercise, muscle mass, body fat and blood pressure.
It was found that about 80% of people ate cheese, either daily (28%), once every two days (24%) or twice a week (30%).
The most popular type was processed cheese, followed by white mould cheese, which includes such as brie and camembert. This was followed by fresh cheese - which entails feta and ricotta - and blue mould cheese like Stilton and Roquefort.
The participants were then asked 30 questions designed to test their cognitive function - known as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).
These involved memory, language and attention-based questions, and those who scored 23 or lower were said to have poor cognitive function.
But it was discovered that people who included cheese in their diets were less likely to score this low. Regular cheese-eaters scored an average of 28 on the test.
Despite having lower blood pressure, BMI and a faster