Too much sugar can cause a lot of problems—it can lead to weight gain, contribute to heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and…make you dumber? That’s what a new study indicates.
Fortunately, the research, which was actually done on rats, suggests that omega-3 fats can blunt the mind-numbing effects of sugar. (Note: I rarely report on animal research because you can never tell whether the results apply to humans. But this study was so novel—and so potentially important—that I had to tell you about it.) In the study, rats spent a few days learning how to navigate a maze—a great way to test learning ability and memory in rats. Then they were put on one of four diets for six weeks before returning to the maze. Here’s how the groups fared:
Last place: The group of rats who were fed a standard diet and also given water with fructose mixed in. (Researchers chose fructose because it’s considered the most unhealthy sugar, linked to an increased risk for heart disease and abdominal obesity.) It took them nearly six times longer than the first place rats to figure out how to get out of the maze.
Third place: Rats on a diet fortified with omega-3s and the fructose-spiked water. These rats were still slow, but just half as slow at the fructose-only group. Omega-3s seemed to help improve memory and undo some of the effects of the fructose.
Second place: Rats on regular diets with no added omega-3s or fructose-water.
First place: The maze champions were fed an omega-3-supplemented diet without fructose-water. They were in and out of the maze in no time—remembering it well a full six weeks later.
So what should you take away from this study? Two things: Fructose, consumed in excess probably over a long period of time, may induce memory loss and possibly, other types of cognitive decline. What’s excessive? It’s not clear yet, so I’ll suggest that you keep cookies, candy and other sweets to no more than 150 calories per day. Most sweeteners contain fructose; high fructose corn syrup, white table sugar, honey and maple sugar contain it in about equal amounts. Agave syrup is the most fructose-laden of all. Although fruit contains fructose, it contains so many other brain-sharpening nutrients, I doubt it’s a problem. Omega-3s are protective. You can get this healthy fat from fatty fish like salmon, sardines and trout. Plant-based omega-3s, found in ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil and walnuts, are less potent, but still important. You could also take an omega-3 supplement (600 to 1,000 mg) daily.
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