By John Naish
Last updated at 9:00 AM on 6th March 2012
Those who regularly consumed dairy performed better on tests of mental ability than their peers
Are you feeding your brain the right kind of fatty diet? Dairy products such as cheese and milk are among the most reviled of foods, with many experts saying their links to heart disease and obesity mean we should shun them when possible.
But new research has caused controversy by suggesting that, in fact, dairy food could be essential for a healthy brain.
The study, by U.S. and Australian researchers, involving 1,000 adults, found those who regularly have dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt score better on tests of mental ability than people who never, or rarely, consume dairy.
Although the research, published in the International Dairy Journal, needs following-up, as it did not conclusively establish the link between dairy and fatty diets and brain power, it highlights an intriguing line of research.
It follows another U.S. study, involving 104 pensioners, where scientists found older people with higher levels of beneficial fats in their blood had less brain shrinkage typical of Alzheimers disease. These beneficial fats omega-3 essential fats are found in foods such as oily fish. The research, published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology, is key, as it measured the levels of different fats in peoples blood, rather than simply relying on their reports of what they tended regularly to eat.
Its now well established from brain-tissue studies that our mental functions depend heavily on a good supply of fat.
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Could eating more cheese and milk make you brainier?
