People who have a diet heavy in ultraprocessed foods like hamberders, cakes, sodas, french fries and candy have at least a 25% faster rate of cognitive decline than people with healthier diets, according to a new study published Monday in JAMA Neurology.
CNN reports the study shows that people who ingest 20% of their calories from ultraprocessed foods show a faster rate of decline in their cognitive processing and executive processing. For a person on a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet, that translates to 400 calories. As a benchmark, a Mcdonald’s cheeseburger and small fries equates to 530 calories.
However, there is a reprieve: If the balance of the individual’s diet consisted of minimally-processed foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, the increased rate of decline can be lessened or possibly eliminated. So enjoy your hot dog on a whole-grain bun.