How highly processed foods harm memory in the aging brain (Omega-3 fat reversed high carb diet brain effects)

ScienceDaily / Ohio State University / Brain, Behavior, and Immunity ^ | October 14, 2021 | Michael J. Butler, Nicholas P. Deems, Stephanie Muscat, Christopher M. Butt, Martha A. Belury

[ConservativeMind]

Four weeks on a diet of highly processed food led to a strong inflammatory response in the brains of aging rats that was accompanied by behavioral signs of memory loss, a new study has found.

Researchers also found that supplementing the processed diet with the omega-3 fatty acid DHA prevented memory problems and reduced the inflammatory effects almost entirely in older rats.

Neuroinflammation and cognitive problems were not detected in young adult rats that ate the processed diet.

The study diet mimicked ready-to-eat human foods that are often packaged for long shelf lives, such as potato chips and other snacks, frozen entrees like pasta dishes and pizzas, and deli meats containing preservatives.

Activation of genes linked to a powerful pro-inflammatory protein and other markers of inflammation was significantly elevated in the hippocampus and amygdala of the older rats that ate the processed diet alone compared to young rats on any diet and aged rats that ate the DHA-supplemented processed food.

The older rats on the processed diet also showed signs of memory loss in behavioral experiments that weren't evident in the young rats. They forgot having spent time in an unfamiliar space within a few days, a sign of problems with contextual memory in the hippocampus, and did not display anticipatory fear behavior to a danger cue, which suggested there were abnormalities in the amygdala.

"The amygdala in humans has been implicated in memories associated with emotional -- fear and anxiety-producing -- events. If this region of the brain is dysfunctional, cues that predict danger may be missed and could lead to bad decisions," Barrientos said.

The results also showed that DHA supplementation of the processed-food diets consumed by the older rats effectively prevented the elevated inflammatory response in the brain as well as behavioral signs of memory loss.

[ConservativeMind]

It appears the younger rats could much better handle the food issues than the older rats. They still got fat, though.

It’s interesting that Omega-3 fats (DHA and EPA) were so useful for the older rats. I would have expected a small benefit, not a large benefit capable of reversing all the brain changes.

[rarestia]

Been taking a fish oil supplement for years, and I recommend the same to anyone. The benefits transcend just brain health. There are numerous studies showing benefits to cardiovascular, urinary, and liver functions as well.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The older rats...forgot having spent time in an unfamiliar space within a few days...

But did the older rats forget why they went into that unfamiliar space in the first place?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I'm always wondering about the vague term "Processed," so I just looked it up...

According to the USDA, processed food is defined as any raw agricultural commodity that has been subject to washing, cleaning, milling, cutting, chopping, heating, pasteurizing, blanching, cooking, canning, freezing, drying, dehydrating, mixing, packaging or other procedures that alter the food from its natural state. This may include the addition of other ingredients to the food, such as preservatives, flavors, nutrients and other food additives or substances approved for use in food products, such as salt, sugars and fats. So, by definition, most times we engage in food preparation and cook, we are in fact processing foods.

The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says processed foods range on a scale of minimally processed to mostly processed:

• Minimally processed foods — such as bagged spinach, cut vegetables and roasted nuts — are often simply pre-prepped for convenience.
• Foods processed at their peak to lock in nutritional quality and freshness include canned tomatoes, frozen fruit and vegetables and canned tuna.
• Foods with ingredients added for flavor and texture (sweeteners, spices, oils, colors and preservatives) include jarred pasta sauce, salad dressing, yogurt and cake mixes.
• Ready-to-eat foods — such as crackers, chips and deli meat — are more heavily processed.
• The most heavily processed foods often are frozen or pre-made meals, including frozen pizza and microwaveable dinners.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

...DHA levels are lower in the hippocampus and amygdala of the aged rat brain.

I'd wager that DHA levels are ZERO in these aged rats...

[RummyChick]

In looking up poisoning from metals like mri contrast i came up with info that cautions using EDTA to chelate because it can take it out of the bones but then can cause it to go to brain.

So much is unknown about that complex organ..but metals could very well cause issues

I will say that taking some activated charcoal this morning helped with muscle or bone pain..not sure which it is...but taking activated charcoal long term is not feasible

It is a miracle cure for food poisoning

[RummyChick]

Processed foods is a catch all and can mean so many things

I view it as canned vegetables not processed food....canned meat like spam.. processed food.

Frozen pizza rolls..defintely processed. I eat them anyway sometimes

But if it isnt sitting in the fresh section ..it is processed I suppose

[Magnatron]

One of the smartest things I’ve done in life was to go to culinary school — not because I’m a chef, but because we eat like kings and queens every night with fresh ingredients and wonderful blends of flavor. I haven’t opened a box of processed food in years.

I don’t know if it will make me live longer, but at least we’ll go out eating well…

[Pollard]

The most heavily processed foods often are frozen or pre-made meals, including frozen pizza and microwaveable dinners.

Interesting. I would think breakfast cereal would be right up there too. One thing I've never trusted are 'fortified' or 'enriched'. It's basically chemically extracted vitamins reinserted into another food. Watch Food Inc sometime. They show a scientist that's just giddy over how many things that can be extracted from corn. That's why everything processed has some component from corn in it.

And frozen pizza? It should be bread, tomato sauce and cheese, plus whatever toppings. But of course not. Just glanced at a Red Baron box and then grabbed this from their website;

ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, LOW MOISTURE PART SKIM MOZZARELLA CHEESE (CULTURED PASTEURIZED PART SKIM MILK, SALT, ENZYMES), PEPPERONI MADE WITH PORK, CHICKEN, AND BEEF (PORK, MECHANICALLY SEPARATED CHICKEN, BEEF, SALT, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF SPICES, DEXTROSE, LACTIC ACID STARTER CULTURE, SODIUM ASCORBATE, SMOKE FLAVORING, FLAVORING, SODIUM NITRITE, BHA, BHT, CITRIC ACID, CONTAINS ONE OR MORE OF: WATER, GARLIC POWDER, PAPRIKA, OLEORESIN OF PAPRIKA), TOMATO PASTE, PALM OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN AND/OR CANOLA OIL), SUGAR, NONFAT MILK, SALT, YEAST, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, SPICE, MALTODEXTRIN, DRIED GARLIC, HYDROLYZED SOY AND CORN PROTEIN, PAPRIKA, DRIED ONION, NATURAL FLAVOR, WHEAT STARCH, DEFATTED SOY FLOUR, L-CYSTEINE HYDROCHLORIDE, AMMONIUM SULFATE, SOY LECITHIN, ANNATTO (COLOR), ASCORBIC ACID (DOUGH CONDITIONER). CONTAINS: WHEAT, MILK AND SOY.

What's missing that is on the box is; (Contains bioengineered food ingredients) GMO corn and soy most likely.

Good gawd; (Ammonium sulfate is made by treating ammonia with sulfuric acid) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonium_sulfate Fertilizer, water treatment, vax ingredient, wood preservative, used in pesticides - herbicides - fungicides, flame retardant, AND FOOD.

As a food additive, ammonium sulfate is considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

[sarc]Well that makes me feel much better.[/sarc]

[no-to-illegals]

Next they will come out with a “scientific” study telling US eating is hazardous to our health

[whitney69]

They need to get into the reality of basics here. One of the major problems in this area is that foods are hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated. The knowledge of this process has been around for many years, starting in 1897 when the French chemist Paul Sabatier discovered that the introduction of a trace of nickel as a catalyst facilitated the addition of hydrogen to molecules of carbon compounds. This was found to be a breakthrough source to extend the shelf life of foods and was put into practical application in the 1940’s.

But this process created excessive trans fats. A couple of the dangers of this is bad cholesterol, leading to heart disease, and prior to the overwhelming use of this process, type II diabetes didn’t exist.

A new study shows that eating trans fats may be associated with memory loss, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association scientific sessions. Trans fats, also known as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil and vegetable shortening, were included for years in products like margarine and were added to increase the shelf life of packaged crackers and cookies.

There are others as the food industry has gone to firing Nichol ions through food to get the shelf life extension and, thus, be more profitable. And that’s part of the increase in memory problem increases over the last 50 years with dementia.

Check your labels when you buy foods and you’ll often find the listing of (de)hydrogenated oils in their ingredients.

wy69

[Mariner]

If one MUST snack, eat popcorn and cookies made at home with butter.

Seed oils kill, hydrolyzed seed oils kill faster.

[Starboard]

But if it isnt sitting in the fresh section ..it is processed I suppose

****************

Makes sense. I like your ‘guideline’ on this and will prolly think about it each time I go to the grocery store from now on. :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Anyone remember being force-fed Cod Liver Oil as a kid? Our Mom would line us up and everyone got a spoonful most days.

BLECH! So glad the fish supplements now don’t have the awful taste that went with the liquids.

But, Thanks, Mom! My ‘fat brain’ and I are still doing just fine, thanks to you! :)

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Yep...just use common sense. Fresh fruit, veggies and meats — not processed. Cookies, cakes, chips, frozen meals — heavily processed. The article mentions how bad preservatives are and that’s a good guide. I figure it is probably the preservative chemicals rather than the mechanical “processing” itself (chopping, grinding, rolling, kneading, mixing, etc) that is the culprit.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Gawd! What a motley, Anti-American crew that is! *SHUDDER*

[Mariner]

Make your own snacks at home and never buy death off the shelf.

[Pollard]

I get salmon on occasion. Allegedly wild caught salmon.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Those ingredient lists are always astonishing, aren’t they?

I love the universal catch-all ingredients: FLAVORING and SPICE. That narrows it right down!

Like you, I was surprised to see that breakfast cereal wasn’t at the top of the processed foods list. They are probably the worst offenders! I generally eat whole grain breakfast cereals without a lot of preservatives or weird ingredients, but now and then I break down and enjoy a bowl of Captain Crunch or Frosted Flakes.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

It is a miracle cure for food poisoning

I just watched the TV series "The Borgias" which Rush had HIGHLY recommended ten years ago. In Renaissance Italy, poisoning one's enemies seems to have been quite common. The pope's young daughter knew that charcoal was the antidote for poisoning and she forced a lot of charcoal down the esophagus of a victim, thus saving him. It was on heck of a mess and he was pretty sick from the charcoal down the throat, but he survived.