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Wine and Cheese Actually Shown to Have Brain Benefits
Wine and cheese seem like guilty pleasures.
But it turns out they can actually help prevent cognitive decline.
A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease revealed 2 major findings:
- Cheese was by far the most protective food against age-related cognitive problems, even late into life.
- Daily consumption of alcohol, especially red wine, was associated with improvements in cognitive function.
The study analyzed nearly 1,800 adults ranging in age from 46 to 77 over the course of 10 years. During that period, participants completed a Fluid Intelligence Test at baseline and then in 2 follow-up assessments years apart. The Fluid Intelligence Test determines someone’s abstract problem-solving skills and ability to think on the fly.
Participants also answered questions throughout the study about their food and alcohol consumption, including fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, poultry, lamb, pork, cheese, bread, cereal, tea and coffee, beer and cider, red wine, white wine, champagne and liquor.
The results showed that daily cheese intake strongly predicted better Fluid Intelligence Test scores over time. This could be explained by the calcium in cheese, which is known to lower blood pressure, and what is…
