Less red meat is good for the planet and a growing number of people have started the new year by deciding to follow a meat-free diet.
In addition to being good for the planet and kinder to animals, eating less red meat is also better for your health. Reducing consumption of red and processed meat could reduce your risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease. These diseases share risk factors with dementia, including the most common form, Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia are the leading cause of death in the UK. In Alzheimer’s disease, memory problems are often the first problems to appear, followed later by other cognitive disorders that significantly affect daily life and social interactions.
A large US-based study investigated different foods and their associated risk of dementia in more than 133,000 healthcare professionals who did not have dementia at the start of the study. They have been followed for more than four decades. During this period, just over 11,000 people developed dementia.
Consumption of processed red meat (such as sausages, bacon, hot dogs and salami) was associated with a 16% higher risk of dementia and a faster rate of cognitive aging. Eating about two servings of processed red meat per week increases the risk of dementia by 14% compared to those who eat less than about three servings per month. (A serving is a piece of meat about the size of a deck of cards – about 85g.)
If people replaced processed red meat proteins with those found in nuts, tofu or beans, they could reduce their risk of dementia by 19%, the study found. The rate of cognitive aging was also reduced.
In this same sample, eating less red and processed meat was shown to significantly reduce the risk of death from cancer and heart disease. The researchers estimated that almost one in ten deaths could have been avoided if everyone had eaten less than 42g of red meat (less than half a serving) per day throughout the study.
Red or processed meat can lead to high levels of “bad fats” in the blood due to its saturated fat and cholesterol content. This can lead to a buildup of fatty deposits in blood vessels, partly explaining the association with deaths from heart disease.
High blood pressure can result from the high salt content of processed meats. Fat around the belly caused by these high-calorie foods combined with a sedentary lifestyle is also linked to high blood pressure, in addition to blood vessel inflammation and diabetes.
These factors are all also associated with Alzheimer’s disease. “Good fats” found in nuts, fatty fish, olive oil and avocado could help reduce these mechanisms and protect against dementia and memory decline.
Gut health
Scientists are increasingly recognizing the role of the gut in brain disorders.
Gut health can be improved with prebiotics, such as plant fiber, and probiotics (the helpful bacteria found in fermented foods such as tempe, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, and yogurt).
Fiber-rich plants and beans were associated with a lower risk of dementia in the studies mentioned. Conversely, gut health can be negatively affected by ultra-processed foods, such as chips, soft drinks, breakfast cereals and convenience foods.
Nungning20/Shutterstock
A review of studies, published in 2023, found that people who ate a lot of ultra-processed foods (of all kinds – not just processed meats) had a 44% higher risk of dementia. So, should we cut out all processed foods?
It’s a difficult topic, and it’s also very difficult to implement. Much of what most of us eat is processed, from canned vegetables to bread and milk. Many of these foods have health benefits. The study mentioned above found that moderate consumption of ultra-processed foods was not associated with an increased risk of dementia.
Moderation is the key
As always, moderation is the key to any diet. Any food or drink – even water – in the wrong dosage can harm the body. So be wary of recent dietary trends suggesting we need to eat lots of protein.
Too much protein can harm the kidneys, causing them to malfunction. This is a problem because you need your kidneys to remove toxins from your body, getting rid of excess fluid and waste. They help regulate blood pressure and support bone health, among other important functions. Poor kidney function can lead to serious health problems.
Read more: Does taking part in Veganuary put people off eating meat in the long term? Here’s what the evidence shows
In addition to not eating meat, many people want to lose weight in the new year. High-protein, high-fat keto diets, while popular, have low adherence and the same weight loss as other long-term diet programs.
A healthy, balanced diet including plenty of plants, beans, and good fats (like those found in nuts and fish) and regular physical activity will help reduce your risk of dementia and heart disease.
