Recently, a lot was found out about the dangers of consuming saturated fats. Saturated fats or animal fats are long-chain acids with increased amounts of carbon and hydrogen. The experts from the American Heart Association say that saturated fats are the leading dietary cause of increased LDL cholesterol. Foods high in saturated fats are actually quite common ones in our daily diet, and they include red and other kinds of fatty meats, butter and full-fat dairy products, fatty fried foods, egg yolks, a great deal of edible oils, and, unfortunately, our favorite chocolate! In contrast to healthy fats which give us energy and support most of chemical processes in our body, saturated fats are more associated with plenty of health risks and dangers.

Increased intake of saturated fats is linked to many serious health problems. First of all, saturated fats contribute to the development of serious cardiovascular conditions, including clogged arteries, heart disease, a stroke, heart attack, and so on. Studies have shown that increased consumption of saturated fats is linked to elevated risks of diabetes mellitus and certain types of cancer (by altering the genetic code of our DNA), as well as increased levels of LDL cholesterol and all related unwanted side effects. Finally, according to the latest findings of  Harvard University scientists, consuming too much fatty meat, fried foods, butter or all kinds of other foods high in saturated fat could contribute in elevated Alzheimer’s risk and mental disorders.

A group of American specialists at Harvard University found out that increased consumption of saturated fats is closely linked to high risks of dementia like brain disorders and Alzheimer’s disease, especially in aging women. At the same time, those who consume olive oil, avocados, nuts, flaxseed, and other natural foods rich in healthy fats on a daily basis are reported to have much better memory and less chances to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. These conclusions were made after analyzing the data on over 6,000 women aged over 65, who were asked to participate the 40year study. They were asked to fill up the questionnaires regarding their daily diet, as well as pass certain mental and memory tests. The findings of this interesting study were recently published in one of the issues of the journal Annals of Neurology.

“When looking at changes in cognitive function, what we found is that the total amount of fat intake did not really matter, but the type of fat did,” said Dr Oliva Okereke, one of the leaders of the study group and an expert from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. She suggested simple changing the bad fat for good fat as an easy and very healthy modification in daily diet of every aging woman of our times. Dr. Okereke recommends controlling our daily consumption of foods high in saturated fats as a smart nutrition habit which will provide us with a reward of decreased risks of memory impairment, mental disorders and, in particular, Alzheimer’s risks in the future.

The scientists warn that memory impairment is among the first and the most important sign of Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia in the elderly. Previous researches have shown that there could be connections between increased LDL cholesterol levels and high risks of Alzheimer’s disease, but there we not enough scientific evidence to prove the fact. The current research is considered a milestone for better understanding the condition and even possible development of an effective remedy for Alzheimer’s disease. You can read more about the findings of this study, as well as receive supporting information about the research and other factors that increase Alzheimer’s risk in this article.

Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.

One Response to “Consuming Foods High In Saturated Fat Increases Alzheimer’s Risk”

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