An Egyptian nutrition expert confirmed that full-fat cheese protects against dementia, due to the fatty acids it contains that stimulate the brain and memory.
Dr. said. Ibrahim Abdel Baqi, Professor of Food and Dairy Microbiology at the Food Technology Research Institute in Egypt: This result is derived from a scientific study that spanned more than a quarter of a century, in which participants were followed for 25 years. The results confirmed that full-fat cheeses provide a special advantage to those who eat them, protecting against the risk of dementia in later stages of life.
He added that rich cheeses are those that contain more than 20% fat or more, noting that high-fat cream contains fat ranging between 30-60%.
He stressed that the researchers attributed this to the richness of milk in polyunsaturated fatty acids that have protective effects, as the brain is the second richest organ in fats after adipose tissue, as polyunsaturated fatty acids constitute 35% of brain fat.
He pointed out that dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids act as an energy regulator in cognitive functions, maintain brain functions, especially cognitive and memory, and protect against symptoms of dementia.
Dr. explained. Ibrahim Abdel Baqi said that dementia is associated with a sharp decline in cognitive functions to the point that it hinders daily life, as it is linked to memory loss, and may also affect language skills, problem solving, and other cognitive abilities. Although dementia is more common among the elderly, it may also affect younger people, and is then known as early-onset dementia.
He stressed that the study showed that participants who ate 50 grams or more of high-fat cheese daily had a 13% reduced risk of developing dementia, compared to those who ate less than 15 grams. The risk of dementia among those who ate at least 20 grams of full-fat cream daily decreased by approximately 16%, compared to those who did not eat cream.
High-fat cheese
He added that the research team analyzed nutritional and health data for about 27,670 adults in Sweden, at the beginning of the study, and the average age of the participants was 58 years. He explained that they were followed for approximately 25 years, during which about 11.59% of the total research sample, numbering 3,208 people, were diagnosed.
He pointed out that the study team was keen to track the eating habits of the entire participating sample, by recording everything they ate over the course of a week. Participants also answered questions about how often they ate specific foods during previous years, and discussed with the researchers methods for preparing their food.
He said that part of the analysis, during the study period, focused on the daily consumption of high-fat cheese, as the researchers compared people who ate 50 grams per day, with those who ate less than 15 grams, knowing that the typical serving of cheese is about 30 grams per day.
Dr. said. Ibrahim Abdel Baqi said that researchers found that increasing cheese consumption is associated with a 13% lower risk of dementia. It was also shown when studying specific types of dementia that the relationship was stronger for vascular dementia, as the risk of developing this type decreased by 29% in people who consumed larger amounts of high-fat cheese.
He pointed out that researchers also found a decrease in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease among study participants who consumed larger amounts of high-fat cheese, but this pattern was only observed in those who do not carry the APOE e4 gene variant, which is a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
He added that the study also examined the consumption of high-fat cream. The researchers compared people who ate 20 grams or more per day, which is equivalent to one tablespoon, with those who did not eat any amount of cream. The researchers found that daily consumption of high-fat cream was associated with a 16% lower risk of dementia compared to not consuming it.
He continued that researchers did not find any association between dementia and consumption of low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, skim or low-fat milk, or low-fat fermented milk, which includes yogurt, kefir, and yoghurt. However, other research has indicated positive effects of fermented milk that reduce the chances of developing dementia.
date:2026-02-09 16:58:00
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