Eating seafood may help prevent or slow down those at risk for Alzheimer's disease and dementia. The mercury typically found in fish also does not lead to a mental decline.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, revealed that older adults who consume at least one portion of seafood a week found fewer signs of brain change over time. This suggested that seafood may prevent or slow down the progression of Alzheimer's.
Fish is one of the healthiest foods on the planet given its packed with protein, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. "The omerga-3 fatty acids found in oily fish are an important part of a balanced diet, and previous studies suggest they could play an important role in keeping the brain healthy," according to Dr. Laura Phipps of Alzheimer's Research UK.
Omega-3 fatty acids are known to be essential for growth and development making fatty types of fish beneficial for brain health. Fish is also packed with nutrients people normally do not get enough of such as vitamin D, according to Natural News.
Similarly, seafood is known to increase gray matter in the brain, which can protect from age-related deterioration and cognitive decline. Gray matter also controls a person's memory and emotion.
Researchers of the study also found out that the mercury found in fish does not lead to mental decline. While the study confirms that people who eat more seafood have more mercury in their brains, researchers found no link between higher brain levels of neurotoxin and the kind of brain damage associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, according to Web MD.
"Everybody's saying seafood has so many health benefits, but everybody's afraid of the mercury," Martha Clare Morris said, lead author of the study and professor of nutritional epidemiology at Rush University in Chicago. Researchers found that eating moderate amounts of seafood might offer a protective effect for people with a specific genetic risk for Alzheimer's.
Meanwhile, in a study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine, more than 40,000 males who ate one or more servings of fish every week were found to have a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes and premature death from heart disease. Aside from helping the brain, seafood may also help prevent problems related to the heart.
