Added to your diet weekly, a food could protect you from dementia, according to a recent study. And good news: this protective food is one of the French’s favorites!
To avoid having your brain like Swiss cheese
Regular consumption of cheese is associated with a lower risk of developing dementia, according to a new Japanese study. This work, among the most extensive carried out on the subject, confirms a trend already observed in several previous studies: diet plays a much more important role than we think in brain health.
Published in the journal Nutrientsthis study followed 7,982 Japanese adults for three years. Half of the participants ate cheese at least once a week, while the other half never ate it. Result ? 3.39% of consumers developed dementia during the period studied, compared to 4.45% among those who did not eat it, a 24% reduction in risk.
Even taking into account other parameters such as age, gender, lifestyle or overall diet quality (fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, etc.), the link persisted: weekly cheese consumption remained associated with a 21% lower risk. And that doesn’t matter which cheese you choose! The researchers specify that the protective effect concerned both processed cheese and soft or bloomy rind cheeses, even if processed products were the most common in Japan.
Enough to make it a cheese!
This is not the first time that cheese has attracted the attention of researchers. In 2022, a Japanese team had already observed that elderly people who regularly consumed it obtained better results on cognitive tests.
In Europe, a Finnish study carried out on more than 2,000 volunteers followed for ten years also highlighted a correlation between the consumption of fermented dairy products and slower cognitive decline.
Other works, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutritionhave also shown that vitamin K2, very present in certain cheeses, could help reduce the calcification of cerebral arteries, a recognized risk factor for dementia.
Finally, several research studies on probiotics and bioactive peptides from dairy fermentation have highlighted their potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, beneficial for the aging brain.
Cheese, a concentrate of benefits in each slice?
Rich in proteins, essential amino acids, vitamin K2, antioxidants and lactic acid bacteria, cheese provides key elements for maintaining neuronal functions. According to the authors:
- Proteins and amino acids support the structure and communication between neurons;
- Vitamin K2 plays an essential role in vascular health and calcium regulation, thus preventing certain brain damage;
- Probiotics and peptides from dairy fermentation could help limit inflammation and oxidative stress, two major factors in brain aging.
A food trail between pear and cheese
The authors of the Japanese study, however, remain cautious: cheese is not a miracle cure (that would be a little too simple), but rather a key element of a balanced lifestyle. It could be one of the small prevention actions accessible to all, just like a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fatty fish, or regular physical activity. However, it is important not to overuse it.
While dementia affects around a million people in France, including 225,000 new cases per year, knowing that cheese does not count as butter remains tasty new information… and practical.