The foods that should be consumed to avoid dementia, according to a study

Memory is one of the most important faculties of people. However, it doesn’t always work perfectly.

As you age this can become less efficient. In addition, there are special cases in which it can be affected, which have to do with the presence of psychopathology, such as anxiety.

A study published in the magazine Neurology notes that people with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil may also have larger brain volumes in old age that are equivalent to preserving one to two years of brain health.

Therefore, decreased brain volume is a sign of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as normal aging. So, low levels of DHA have been associated with an increased risk of memory impairment related to dementia and age.

In context, Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia among older people. Dementia, for its part, is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out their daily activities, according to the portal Medline Plus.

Low levels of DHA have been associated with an increased risk of memory impairment. Photo: Getty images. – Foto: Foto: Getty images.

Juebin Huang, a physician working in the Department of Neurology, University of Mississippi Medical, points out that this disease represents between 60% and 80% of dementias in older adults.

However, “it has been observed that there is a relationship between the decrease in the deposits of omega 3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, and alterations in the functionality of the membrane of neurons, which is of enormous importance as cause of depression, aggressiveness, schizophrenia and other mental pathologies and neurological”, indicates Almudena Santana, head of the emergency department and critic at the Gregorio Marañón Hospital and associate professor of clinical practices at the Complutense University of Madrid.

Here are the foods from which they can be obtained:

Egg

• Egg yolk, although in smaller amounts, is also a natural source of DHA.
• It is recommended to consume two to three pieces per week.

blue fish

• Salmon is one of the best options, since in 100 g you can obtain 5,175 milligrams of DHA naturally.
• The specialist Adolfo Leyva recommends consuming 200 g of this food, if possible twice a week.
• Oily fish are the richest in EPA and DHA, although it is also present in white fish such as cod, hake or sole.
• “The consumption of one or two servings of oily fish a week, such as sardines, salmon or tuna, is recommended to obtain these benefits of omega-3. Other sources are of plant origin, so nuts such as almonds, chestnuts and especially walnuts are rich in omega-3, as are some oils of plant origin such as flaxseed and olive”, recommends Santana.

green leafy vegetables

Avocado

• It is well known for being rich in healthy fats and is also a source of omega-3. Therefore, it is an excellent product to start incorporating into salads and various preparations, according to the Very Healthy portal. of Sanitas.

Walnuts

• They are a great healthy snack option, and you only need to consume 100g to reap their benefits.

almonds

• Instead of reaching for a cupcake when hunger strikes, eat a handful of this food instead.
• Almonds provide the benefits of DHA without weighing you down.