After the Mediterranean diet, which has been believed for years for its positive effect on our health, it is now the Japanese diet’s turn to be in the spotlight. According to a new study, diet could limit brain atrophy – the shrinking of the brain – especially in women.
As we get older, our brain shrinks. A natural process that cannot be changed. The rate of brain atrophy does matter. The faster our brains shrink, the greater the risk of memory loss and dementia.
Vis in miso
A new study by Giovanni Sala from the University of Liverpool in the UK and Shu Zhang from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology in Japan now points to the possible positive effects of a traditional Japanese diet on brain atrophy. Women in particular would benefit from the diet and could even boost their memory.
The traditional Japanese diet consists mainly of rice, fish, seafood and fruit. This base is supplemented with typical Japanese ingredients such as miso, seaweed, green tea, (fermented) soy beans and mushrooms. Although more and more Japanese are switching to a Western diet, according to scientists, it would be better to do the opposite.
Although only 1,636 participants took part in the study and further research is required, the first results are promising. The positive effect is said to be mainly caused by the abundance of vitamins, polyphenols, phytochemicals and unsaturated fatty acids in the Japanese diet. According to the researchers, the difference between the impact on men and women could be due to some negative habits that are mainly popular among men and would negate the effect, such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
