Daily consumption of processed red meat may increase the risk of dementia by 14%
A population study finds that daily consumption of processed red meats such as bacon and sausage meat increases the risk of dementia by 14%. Eat nuts or beans instead.
Too much processed red meat isn't good for you.
That's not really news. In 2015, the World Health Organisation concluded that processed red meat was “carcinogenic to humans", meaning it is a definite cause of cancer, specifically bowel cancer. Scientific studies have also linked the consumption of processed red meat to diabetes and heat disease.
But now, a new study has linked daily consumption of processed red meat with yet another disease: dementia.
What counts as processed red meat?
Red meat is meat that is red in colour before it is cooked. So beef and lamb, but also pork.
Processed red meats are beef, lamb or pork products that have been processed in some way: meats that have been cured, salted, smoked, or otherwise preserved. Examples include bacon, sausages, hot dogs, ham, salami, and pepperoni.
Fresh burgers from a butcher, or mince (freshly minced beef) do not count as processed red meat.
Perhaps surprisingly, fast food burgers from McDonald's, Burger King and other similar outlets are 100% beef and contain no fillers, preservatives or additives. As such, they do not count as processed red meat, but go easy on the cheese and bacon toppings!
What did the study find out about processed red meat?
Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston looked at 130,000 participants from the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. The participants were tracked for 43 years and provided data on their diet every 2 to 5 years. 11,173 developed dementia over that time.
Looking at data from diets, it was found that eating about two servings per week of processed red meat raises the risk of dementia by 14% compared to those who eat less than approximately three servings a month.
Furthermore, each additional daily serving of processed red meat was linked to an extra 1.6 years of global cognitive aging, including language and executive function. So not only are you at an increased risk of developing dementia if you eat processed red meat regularly, you are at risk of getting it sooner.
A serving of unprocessed red meat is equivalent to two rashers of bacon, one hot dog and similar quantities of salami, bologna or other processed sandwich meat.
What about unprocessed red meat?
The researchers also studied unprocessed red meat, but did not find a significant association between dementia and eating meat like hamburgers, steak or pork chops.
What to eat instead of processed red meat to boost your brain's health
Let's end on a positive note.
The study found that swapping a serving of processed red meat for a serving of nuts or legumes, beans or tofu every day may lower the risk of dementia by 20%. It may also reduce cognitive aging in global cognition by 1.37 years.
A serving can be the likes of peanut butter (one tablespoon), peanuts, walnuts or other nuts (30g or 1oz), soy milk (8-ounce glass or 235ml), string beans, beans or lentils, peas or lima beans (4-ounce glass or 120g), or tofu or soy protein.
More evidence that eating nuts and legumes is good for you!
REFERENCES
- "Processed Red Meat Raises the Risk of Dementia; Swapping It For Nuts and Beans May Lower Risk" - study presented at Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2024
Article last updated: 12th August 2024