Can Eating High-Fat Cheese Actually Prevent Dementia?

What’s Happening

So basically This is one of the “stronger” studies in nutrition epidemiology—but it’s not definitive.

A study of Swedish adults suggests that eating high-fat cheese and cream may be linked to a lower risk of getting dementia later in life. While large, the study was observational and doesn’t definitively prove that eating these foods can prevent dementia. (and honestly, same)

For now, following the USDA’s current Dietary Guidelines is probably your best bet as far as nutrition to support brain health.

The Details

If you’re looking to keep your brain healthy as you age, the experts tend to advise the usual suspects: exercise (including strength training ), leafy green veggies, an active social life , etcetera. What you probably haven’t heard yet?

And yet, a large new study suggests that high-fat cheese and cream may be linked to a lower risk of getting dementia later in your life. “Our findings prompt a reconsideration of the role of dietary fats—including saturated fats from certain foods—in brain health,” says study author Yufeng Du.

Why This Matters

Still, the study has some limitations and this news is (sadly) not a free pass to eat that three-cheese grilled cheese sandwich every night this week. Here’s what the findings actually mean in practical terms, plus why the OG tips mentioned above are still worth putting into practice. Meet the the experts: Alexis (Lekki) Wood is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics – Nutrition, at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center and Baylor College of Medicine.

Medical professionals are taking note of this development.

The Bottom Line

For the study , which was published in the journal Neurology , researchers looked at the diets (including a seven-day food diary, a food frequency questionnaire, and a dietary interview) of 27,670 participants in Sweden. Twenty-five years later, 3,208 incident dementia cases were recorded, but the people who ate more high-fat cheese and high-fat cream had a lower risk of being in that group.

What’s your take on this whole situation?