Now more than ever, people seem to be focusing on and prioritizing looking after their brain health. After all, it’s easy to feel bogged down and out of sorts when we’re consuming things and practicing bad habits that can be harmful for our brains.
What we eat plays a large part in how well our brains function, and when we fill our diet with certain processed foods that are high in unhealthy additives and more, we can experience all sorts of nasty symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, memory issues, and more. Luckily, Dr. Janine Bowring, a naturopathic doctor and content creator, made a video about the three “worst foods” for brain health, as “they all contain trans fat.”
“According to this study, dietary trans fatty acids adversely predicted memory, especially in younger adults,” she explains in her video. “So [that’s] your memory and your proper thinking.”
Read more about the three foods that Dr. Bowring says are the “worst” for brain health below.
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1. Margarine
Margarine is an alternative to butter that's typically made from vegetable oils instead of dairy, like palm, soybean, or sunflower oil. Some people are under the impression that margarine is healthier for you because it's a plant-based spread, but that isn't necessarily the case. Because it's high in these oils, margarine, as Dr. Bowring says, "has a lot of those trans fats." Butter isn't necessarily a healthy food, but if you're only using moderate amounts here and there in your cooking, then your brain health is likely better off.
Consuming large quantities of foods that are heavy in trans fats can affect cognitive function and slow you down. Instead of guilt-tripping yourself for eating butter, just be mindful of how much you consume, and it can easily be a part of a balanced diet.
2. Ready-Made Cakes
Who doesn't love indulging in a special dessert now and then? You don't have to deal with the hassle of baking, and if you need a quick treat or last-minute cake for a special occasion, there are tons to choose from at the grocery store. However, a lot of premade, pre-packaged desserts like cakes can be loaded with added ingredients and trans fats.
In fact, many of them are baked using shortening or margarine instead of butter, which, as we know, is loaded with trans fats. Sure, enjoying these premade cakes and baked goods every once in a while is fine, as most processed foods shouldn't hurt you when eaten in moderation. But if you want to strive to take better care of your brain and avoid increasing your risk of neurodegenerative diseases, take a little more time out of your day to bake a cake from scratch with more wholesome ingredients.
3. Pre-packaged Cookies
"If your kids love eating these things, you've got to get them out of the house, because it will negatively affect their brain power and their learning," says Dr. Bowring.
Pre-packaged cookies are often hard to resist, as they're a tempting and addictive little sweet treat, but they can also be made with harmful ingredients that can hurt your brain when consumed frequently. There's a reason those packaged cookies last a long time, and it's because they're filled with preservatives and other ingredients that make them more shelf-stable than fresh cookies. If you're looking for a better treat to keep in your pantry, opt for homemade goodies or ones with less trans fats and artificial ingredients.
