As we age we want to maintain the health of our body and that includes our brain. After all, what good is a healthy body when the mind has gone?  You may know someone with dementia or other neurological disease. Quality of life can be dramatically impacted by neurological diseases as we age just as much as physiological diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. 

We all know that the food we eat has an impact on our health. Beyond just calories, the type of food we choose can make a big difference. Recent studies have shown that consuming a diet high in ultra processed foods can increase the risk of cognitive decline.

According to the studies, the added ingredients in ultra processed foods are what’s to blame for the increased risk of cognitive decline and other mental diseases as we age. 

What are ultra processed foods?

A lot of food we eat is processed in one way or another. Take for example milk, it goes through heat treatment and bottling. Based on the definition of processed (to perform a series of mechanical or chemical operations on (something) in order to change or preserve it.), milk is a processed food. So are many other foods that go through processing to make them safe for us to eat. 

On the other hand, ultra processed foods are ones that have many ingredients added to them and are highly manipulated from their original forms. Or in simpler terms, the ultra processed food does not resemble anything natural or that can be found in nature. 

Take for example milk again, in the container it looks just like the milk that was obtained from the cow. 

Now envision a chicken nugget or hot dog, it is hard to tell what the original ingredient/s even looked like. Both of these foods have many ingredients that go through many manipulations to create a finished product. 

Pretty much all ultra processed foods have a kitchen sink full of chemicals added to enhance shelf stability, color, taste, texture, freshness, etc. If you look at the ingredients list of ultra processed foods, it tends to be a paragraph or more. Compare that to milk, fruit, vegetables, or even whole meat. 

Follow these simple rules to identify ultra processed foods:

• Does it look like anything found in nature or can you tell what it is originally?

• Does the ingredients list have more than one sentence?

If you said no to either one of these questions, then you’ve identified an ultra processed food!

How to protect your brain health?

Over and over, it’s been shown that eating a whole food diet rich in plants is the best way to protect our health as we age. 

Whole foods do not have all the added ingredients of ultra processed foods that are toxic to our body.  

In addition, a diet rich in plant foods such as vegetables, fruit, beans, legumes, and tubers provides the body with a myriad of phytochemicals that provide protective antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Whole foods in their simplest, least processed form, retain the greatest amount of nutrients that often get removed during heavy processing. This is why so many ultra processed foods have vitamins and minerals added back in.

The threat of brain disease may seem too far away to make you change your food choices now; however, once you notice the symptoms of brain disease it’s typically too late.

So, to keep your brain healthy as you age make sure to always opt for whole food options before ultra processed ones. You’ll thank your younger self in your elder years.

Written by: Adam Skowyra MPPD, RDN, LD