Diseases, Gut-Brain Communication, Nutrition

Food and Brain Aging

This is a summary of “7 Common Foods That May Accelerate Brain Aging,” an Epoch Times article published on December 16, 2025, and written by health journalist Hadia Zainab.
The article explores how everyday dietary choices can impact brain health and accelerate cognitive aging. Drawing on insights from experts such as psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen, nutritional neuroscientist Delia McCabe, registered dietitian Destini Moody, and neurotherapist Alexa Ryan, it highlights that the brain consumes about 20% of daily calories. This underscores the critical role of nutrition in preventing cognitive decline, dementia, and neurological disorders.
Below are seven common types of foods linked to faster brain aging.
Our brain ages through mechanisms like blood sugar spikes, inflammation, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, gut microbiome disruption, and reduced brain volume:

  1. Sugary Foods and drinks cause rapid blood glucose fluctuations, impairing attention, memory, and learning. Chronic high intake promotes neuroinflammation, raising risks for stroke and Parkinson’s.
  2. Refined Carbohydrates (e.g., white bread, pastries): Act like “liquid sugar” in the body, leading to weight gain, insulin resistance, and inflammation that affect brain function.
  3. Artificial Sweeteners (e.g., aspartame, saccharin, erythritol, xylitol): Disrupt reward pathways, alter gut bacteria, reduce serotonin production, and may accelerate memory/verbal fluency decline, especially in younger adults and those with diabetes.
  4. Alcohol: Even moderate intake (1–2 drinks/day) reduces brain volume, gray matter, and white matter connectivity, impairing mitochondrial function in neurons.
  5. Margarine and Processed Vegetable Oils (high in omega-6s like linoleic acid): Promote oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation; trans fats (in some older formulations) are particularly harmful.
  6. Processed Red Meats (e.g., bacon, hot dogs, sausages): Contain saturated fats and preservatives that form inflammatory compounds, increasing dementia risk and cognitive aging.
  7. High-Sodium Foods: Damage brain blood vessels, reducing blood flow and raising risks for brain fog, slower processing, and vascular dementia.

The article emphasizes consistent healthy eating over occasional indulgences and offers protective strategies:
1. Reduce ultra-processed/fried foods

2. Choose natural sweeteners and whole fruits
3. Prioritize nutrient-dense, colorful meals, incorporate omega-3s and polyphenols (e.g., berries, dark chocolate)
4. Exercise regularly, and ensure quality sleep.

Nourishing the brain improves mood, memory, relationships, and purpose.
What we put in our bodies can build or break brain health.

Sources: The article cites several scientific studies and expert opinions. Key referenced studies (verified and linked where possible):

  • Gillespie KM et al. (2024). “The Impact of Free and Added Sugars on Cognitive Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Nutrients. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/1/75 (2023 meta-analysis of 77 studies linking added sugars to cognitive risks).
  • UK Biobank-based studies on sugar-sweetened beverages/natural juices and dementia risk/brain structure (e.g., associations with higher dementia risk from >2 sugary drinks/day and protective effects from moderate natural juice).
  • Gonçalves NG et al. (2025). “Association Between Consumption of Low- and No-Calorie Artificial Sweeteners and Cognitive Decline.” Neurology. https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214023 (8-year study of >12,000 adults showing faster decline with high intake).
  • Daviet R et al. (2022). “Associations between alcohol consumption and gray and white matter volumes in the UK Biobank.” Nature Communications (study of >36,000 adults linking even low alcohol intake to reduced brain volume).
  • Studies on processed red meat and dementia (e.g., prospective cohort of >133,000 US adults linking higher intake to increased risk, with substitutions like nuts/legumes reducing risk by ~19%).
  • Mohan D et al. (2020). “Link Between Dietary Sodium Intake, Cognitive Function, and Dementia Risk in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Systematic Review.” Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7504986/ (review finding mixed but suggestive links to poorer cognition).
  • Primary article: Zainab H. “7 Common Foods That May Accelerate Brain Aging.” The Epoch Times, December 16, 2025.

Expert quotes from Dr. Daniel Amen (Amen Clinics), Delia McCabe (nutritional neuroscientist), Destini Moody (registered dietitian), and Alexa Ryan (neurotherapist/clinical nutritionist).

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