It’s no secret that snacking can take a toll on your health—but more than just your waistline is at risk. As it turns out, your diet can play a major role in the health of your brain, too, potentially impacting cognitive function, memory, and mental well-being.
In a recent TikTok video, neuroscientist Dr. Robert Love and Dr. Heather Sandison, an expert in Alzheimer’s prevention and author of Reversing Alzheimer’s, highlighted a few foods that could pose a risk to your brain. According to them some of the worst culprits are diet soda, cinnamon rolls, potato chips, and more. Find all of their warnings below.
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1. Diet Soda
Diet soda has been branded as a healthier alternative to regular soda, but that doesn’t make it any healthier. Although it does contain fewer calories, the artificial sweeteners and other harmful ingredients in diet soda can negatively impact brain health.
Love says in this TikTok, "Most diet soda is sweetened with something called aspartame. Aspartame is not good for your gut bacteria,” he says. He also adds that most aspartame “is associated with a lot of negative side effects, including cancer in animals."
So how does this affect your brain? "The research shows that consuming aspartame, specifically diet soda, is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, and type 2 diabetes is very harmful for the brain,” he notes.
He explains that anything that can increase the risk of diabetes can also increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
2. Bread and Pasta
Although carbs like bread and pasta are linked to weight gain, they can actually impact the brain too.
"These again are highly processed and have tons of gluten in them, which can be highly genetically modified and often is sprayed excessively with glyphosate," Dr. Sandison says. Glyphosate, a common herbicide, is "directly toxic to the neurological system," making it a significant concern for brain health. She advises avoiding conventional breads or pastas that contain wheat to minimize exposure to these harmful substances.
Instead, check out healthier bread options here and pasta alternatives here!
3. Cinnamon Rolls
Sadly, this gooey, sugary, and cinnamon-loaded sweet treat is one of the culprits she says can wreak havoc on not just your brain health, but overall wellbeing.
"This combination includes gluten, fat, and sugar, three insults not only to your gut but also to your brain," Dr. Sandison notes. Most of the time, people buy cinnamon rolls from stores, which end up being highly processed and packed with an insane amount of sugar and fat.
The high sugar content can lead to inflammation, while the gluten and unhealthy fats contribute to cognitive decline if eaten excessively.
4. Peanut-Butter Filled Pretzels
The first snack to avoid is peanut butter filled pretzels. While some might consider this a healthy option, Dr. Love explains in another TikTok that these snacks pose several risks. The primary issue is the quality of the peanut butter used, which is typically low-grade and inflammatory. "Inflammation is one of the primary risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease," Dr. Love warns. Particularly, the vegetable oils used in the peanut butter, such as canola oil, can also cause inflammation. The pretzels contain gluten, which further contributes to inflammation. These combined factors make peanut butter filled pretzels a snack to avoid if you are concerned about your brain health.
5. Potato Chips
Another common snack that should be avoided is potato chips. It shouldn't come as a surprise to hear that this crunchy snack comes with health risks. Dr. Love highlights that potato chips are not only super salty but also high in sugar, which might surprise many. The excessive salt content can increase blood pressure, while the high sugar content can lead to spikes in insulin and blood glucose levels. "Spikes in insulin and blood glucose can increase your risk of type two diabetes and that is a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease," Dr. Love warns. All in all, they're a particularly harmful snack for brain health.
6. Breakfast Cereals
Lastly, breakfast cereals, often marketed as healthy choices, are another snack to be wary of. Dr. Love points out that "Most of them are high in sugar, so that will spike your insulin and increase the risk of type two diabetes." Additionally, many cereals also contain wheat, which includes gluten. Gluten increases inflammation, further contributing to the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other inflammatory conditions. The combination of high sugar and gluten content makes breakfast cereals a poor choice for maintaining brain health.
