The GL of Your Diet Determines Your Future Dementia Risk

by Patrick Holford

Why Blood Sugar Exposure Matters More Than Sugar Itself

Your brain uses more glucose for energy than any other organ in the body.

From that simple fact comes a widespread assumption: that sugar fuels the brain and therefore more sugar must mean more mental energy.

In reality, the opposite appears to be true.

A large new study shows that the glycaemic load (GL) of your diet, which reflects how much glucose you expose your bloodstream to over time, is strongly linked to your future risk of dementia. The higher the glycaemic load, the higher the risk.

In this study, people consuming more than 110 GL units a day had a 13% higher risk of developing dementia. Those consuming less than 49.3 GL units a day had a 17% lower risk. In other words, the difference between a high GL diet and a low GL diet translated into a 30% swing in dementia risk.The study, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, analysed dietary data from over 200,000 UK Biobank participants in 2011–12 and followed them for more than a decade to see who did, and did not, develop dementia (1).¹

Most people’s diets exceed 100 GL units a day. I have been advocating a daily intake of around 45 to 60 GL units since the 1990s. To understand why this matters, and what it means for what you eat, it helps to understand what GL actually is.

How Much Sugar Your Body Really Needs

As petrol is for your car, glucose is the primary fuel for your body. Glucose is the main fuel used by all cells.

There is also another fuel, ketones, much like cars can also run on electricity. We too are metabolic hybrids.

Now here is an astonishing fact. Your body contains around 100,000 kilometres of blood vessels. Your brain alone has around 1,000 kilometres of them. These vessels supply energy to around 30 trillion cells, each containing roughly 1,000 mitochondria, the tiny energy factories that power life.

And yet, across this entire system, there only needs to be around 4 grams of glucose in your bloodstream at any one time. That is one teaspoonful. That is all that is required for every cell in your brain and body to have energy at that moment.²

GL is a measure of how much glucose enters your bloodstream after eating or drinking a food. If there is not much glucose in the food, and you use it quickly, perhaps by moving or exercising, blood sugar levels stabilise rapidly.

The glycaemic load of a food depends on two things:
• the quality of the carbohydrate
• the quantity eaten

Quality refers to how fast glucose is released, known as the glycaemic index (GI). Fibre and protein slow this release. This is why white rice has a higher GI than brown rice, which contains fibre. Eat rice with fish, beans or meat, and the protein slows the release further.

GL also depends on portion size. A small serving of brown rice with fish is low GL. A large serving of white rice, even with fish, is high GL.

When Glucose Becomes Toxic to the Brain

What happens if you consume far more glucose than the body needs?

A can of sugary fizzy drink contains around 35 grams of sugar. That is roughly nine times more glucose than the total amount normally circulating in your bloodstream.

This excess is toxic. It damages blood vessels and the tissues they supply. Diabetes is diagnosed precisely because excess sugar damages the kidneys, eyes and nerves. The brain is no exception.

“The brain needs more energy than any other organ, so it contains the most mitochondria. Sugar damages mitochondria,” says Professor Robert Lustig, Professor of Neuroendocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco. If you have read Upgrade Your Brain or Alzheimer’s: Prevention is the Cure, you will already know that high sugar intake, sugary drinks and ultra processed foods increase dementia risk, worsen memory even in young people, and are associated with measurable shrinkage of brain regions involved in memory in teenagers.

Are You Eating Too Much Hidden Sugar?

The simplest way to assess your long term blood sugar exposure is to measure HbA1c.

HbA1c literally means sugar damaged red blood cells. If more than 6.5% of your red blood cells are sugar damaged, you are diagnosed with diabetes. Above 6% indicates pre diabetes. Even levels above 5.4% in teenagers predict brain shrinkage.

For optimal health you want to be below 5.4%, and ideally below 5%.

HbA1c is such a strong indicator of blood sugar resilience that it is included in Food for the Brain’s 5-in-1 DRIfT home blood test kit.

Balancing Blood Sugar with a Low Glycaemic Load Diet

Let us start with something simple.

An orange contains sugar, but also fibre and micronutrients. The fibre slows sugar release, mainly fructose, which takes time to convert to glucose, while feeding beneficial gut bacteria.

A glass of orange juice, however, contains the sugar of around three oranges, without the fibre. Three times the sugar, with no brakes. Eat your fruit. Do not drink it.

When you eat sugar or starches such as rice, digestive enzymes rapidly break them down into glucose. Protein, by contrast, takes several hours to digest into amino acids. This slows carbohydrate digestion further down the digestive tract.

This leads to a simple rule: eat carbohydrates with protein.

Brown rice releases glucose more slowly than white rice. Add beans, fish or meat, and the release slows further.

From this we can extract three practical rules:
• Eat fruit. Do not drink it
• Always eat carbohydrate with protein
• Make fibre the primary ingredient of every meal

What a Low GL Meal Actually Looks Like

Compare these two breakfasts:

Cornflakes with a banana or Oats with chia seeds and berries

Cornflakes are fast releasing sugar. Oats are slow releasing. A banana raises blood sugar more than two bowls of berries.

Chia seeds, rich in soluble fibre, dramatically slow sugar release. A portion of oats with chia and berries is around 10 GL. Cornflakes and a banana can reach 30 GL.

You want meals around 10 GL and snacks around 5 GL. Three meals and two snacks equals around 40 GL per day.

Eat 40 GL per day to lose weight. Around 60 GL to maintain it.

Eat little and often, and start the day with a low GL breakfast.

A friend of mine, Dr David Unwin, who is  a leading diabetes doctor, converted our low GL calculations into ‘teaspoons of sugar equivalent’ to give a visual idea to his diabetic and overweight patients of how sugar is hidden in common foods. See the table below.

Adapted, with permission, from David Unwin’s charts in the Journal of Insulin Resistance (2016) 

The Balance of Your Plate

Half your plate should be vegetables and fruit. A quarter should be protein. A quarter carbohydrate.

Vegetables supply antioxidants that neutralise the exhaust fumes produced when mitochondria burn fuel. This becomes more important as we age and mitochondrial efficiency declines.

Protein slows sugar release and provides essential building blocks. Carbohydrate portions must be modest.

Whole grains and starchy vegetables vary widely in GL. Wholemeal pasta and brown basmati rice are far better than white pasta or white rice. Swedes, carrots and squash are better than potatoes. Boiled potatoes are better than baked. French fries are the worst of all.
all.

Beans and Lentils: Nature’s Blood Sugar Regulators

Beans and lentils are uniquely effective because they contain both protein and carbohydrate in one food. This keeps their GL low while allowing generous portions.

When combining beans with other starches, reduce the starch portion by half. A cup of lentils with half a cup of rice, not equal amounts.

By applying these principles you can restore blood sugar control, regain energy, reduce dementia risk, reverse type 2 diabetes and improve cognitive clarity.

The Proof Is in Your HbA1c

Red blood cells live for around three months. Follow a low GL diet for three months, then retest HbA1c.

This approach is detailed in The Low GL Diet Cookbook. Specific supplements can accelerate recovery, including fibre such as glucomannan, chromium and cinnamon compounds to improve insulin sensitivity, and HCA from tamarind to promote glucose burning rather than storage.

What to Do Next

If glycaemic load affects dementia risk, the next step is simple: measure, act, and check again.

Test your blood sugar resilience.

HbA1c shows how much sugar damage has occurred over the last three months. It is included in Food for the Brain’s DRIfT 5-in-1 home test, alongside other key brain health markers. If HbA1c is high, a low GL diet gives you a clear way to bring it down.

Check how your brain is functioning now.

The free Cognitive Function Test takes around 20 minutes and provides an objective snapshot of memory, attention and processing speed. Many people spot early changes years before any diagnosis.

Make changes, then retest.

Follow a low GL diet for three months, then re-test HbA1c and cognitive function to see whether the changes are working.

Prevention works best when it is measured.

Food for the Brain is a not-for-profit educational and research charity that offers a free Cognitive Function Test and assesses your Dementia Risk Index to be able to advise you on how to dementia-proof your diet and lifestyle.

By completing the Cognitive Function Test you are joining our grassroots research initiative to find out what really works for preventing cognitive decline. We share our ongoing research results with you to help you make brain-friendly choices.

Please support our research by becoming a Friend of Food for the Brain.

Novau-Ferré N et al. Glycemic index, glycemic load, and risk of dementia: a prospective analysis within the UK Biobank cohort. Int J Epidemiol. 2025.
Wasserman DH. Four grams of glucose. Am J Physiol

A Better Festive Treat: Black Bean Brownies That Support Blood Sugar and Brain Health

If you find yourself craving more sugar at this time of year, there’s nothing wrong with you – your biology is responding to a month where blood sugar swings are almost guaranteed. 

But cravings aren’t a sign of weakness. They’re a sign your blood sugar, gut, and brain chemistry are under strain – which is why fibre-rich festive recipes can make such a powerful difference.

This week’s recipe does exactly that. These black bean brownies feel indulgent, but underneath they’re designed to support stable blood sugar, calm cravings, and keep your brain sharper through the most sugar-heavy month of the year.

And yes: they taste genuinely delicious.

Why Sugar Affects Your Brain and Memory

Sugar doesn’t just influence your waistline and energy – it directly affects the structure and functioning of your brain. Glucose is the brain’s primary fuel, but when levels rise too high or fluctuate too quickly, the brain experiences this as stress. Over time, those swings change how the brain ages.

Large population studies show that even slightly elevated glucose levels – levels many people would consider “normal” – significantly increase dementia risk (1). And when HbA1c rises, it shows that your body has been exposed to higher glucose levels over the past 8–12 weeks. This matters because long-term elevated glucose drives inflammation, damages blood vessels in the brain, and accelerates the processes linked to cognitive decline (2).

Even in younger or otherwise healthy adults, small rises in glucose are associated with reduced volume in the hippocampus – the brain’s centre for memory, learning, and emotional regulation (3). This means that sugar isn’t only an issue for diabetes prevention; it’s directly tied to how well your brain can store information, retrieve memories, and stay resilient across your lifetime.

During the festive period, these glucose swings become more common – thanks to grazing, disrupted routines, and richer foods. It’s not the single dessert that matters, but the repeating pattern. And your brain feels every one of those peaks and dips before your waistline every does.

How to Tell If You’re Eating Too Much Sugar (Using HbA1c)

This is where measuring your HbA1c becomes incredibly useful.

HbA1c reflects how much of your red blood cells have been exposed to glucose over the past 8–12 weeks, giving you a true picture of your overall sugar load – not just what you ate yesterday, but whether your body is regularly receiving more carbohydrate than it can comfortably handle. We all have slightly different carbohydrate tolerance, and HbA1c shows you where your line is.

It’s also one of the most powerful early indicators of long-term brain health. Higher HbA1c is linked with faster cognitive decline and a greater risk of dementia, even in people who don’t meet the criteria for diabetes (2). Keeping your sugar intake – and therefore your HbA1c – in a healthy range is a core part of protecting your brain.

But glucose is only one part of the story.

When you look at HbA1c alongside other biomarkers such as homocysteine and the omega-3 index, you get a much richer picture of how well your brain is being supported. These markers reflect inflammation, nutrient status, membrane structure and repair – all of which influence how resilient your brain is to the effects of oxidative stress and high blood sugar. When any of them drift out of range, the brain becomes more vulnerable.

This is exactly why our DRIfT test brings these three measures together.

Between HbA1c, homocysteine, and omega-3 status, you gain a personalised, science-based understanding of how your current diet and lifestyle are shaping your cognitive future.

And if your HbA1c is starting to rise, it’s an early signal that your brain has been exposed to more glucose than it can comfortably manage – a gentle nudge to make adjustments now, rather than years down the line. Order your DRIfT test here – and for the first time ever – we’ve reduced the DRIfT 5-in-1 test by 20% this weekend to widen access to early detection and support our prevention research.

Why Fibre Helps Reduce Sugar Cravings (Especially in December)

This is the part most people underestimate.

A high-fibre diet:

slows glucose entering the bloodstream,
reduces cravings,
stabilises energy, and
supports better long-term glycaemic control.

A large systematic review published in The Lancet found that diets higher in fibre significantly improved blood sugar control, lowered HbA1c, and reduced diabetes risk (4).
During a month where treats are everywhere, fibre becomes one of the simplest tools to protect your metabolic and cognitive health. (Gut health is one of our nutrition and lifestyle domains on our COGNITION™ programme – free to all our FRIENDS)

Which is why these brownies work so well…

Most festive treats are low-fibre and high-sugar – a combination that sends cravings soaring.

These brownies flip that on its head.

With black beans, oats, and chicory root syrup, each brownie contains:

~5.4g fibre
~3g protein
~6g fat
~9g carbs
low GL (≈ 3.9)

This gives you the sweetness without the spike – and the fibre slows digestion so you don’t end up reaching for “just one more”.

Serve them with thick Greek yoghurt and fresh raspberries for extra balance and natural sweetness.

High-Fibre Black Bean Brownie Recipe (Low GL, Gluten Free)

Ingredients

 1 tin black beans, drained & rinsed very well
6 tbsp cocoa powder (30g)
40g oats
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
4–6 tbsp sweetener of choice (chicory syrup or brown-sugar substitute work well)
4 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 170°C.
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until completely smooth.
Pour into a lined 8×8 tin.
Bake for 15–18 minutes.
Cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
If still soft, chill in the fridge overnight – they firm up beautifully.

Check Your HbA1c, Omega-3 and Homocysteine With Our DRIfT Test

Fibre-rich recipes can help – but the real insight comes from knowing your HbA1c.

Our DRIfT 5-in-1 at home blood test measures your:

HbA1c (blood sugar control)
Omega-3 Index
Vitamin D
Homocysteine
Glutathione
Available to purchase globally – order yours here

It’s one of the simplest ways to understand how sugar is affecting your long-term brain health – and what to do next to protect it.

Also, if you haven’t completed the FREE and validated online Cognitive Function Test then do that together too get instant personalised feedback on your brain health.

For more recipes – subscribe to the Upgrade Your Brain Cook App.

Food for the Brain is a not-for-profit educational and research charity that offers a free Cognitive Function Test and assesses your Dementia Risk Index to be able to advise you on how to dementia-proof your diet and lifestyle.

By completing the Cognitive Function Test you are joining our grassroots research initiative to find out what really works for preventing cognitive decline. We share our ongoing research results with you to help you make brain-friendly choices.

Please support our research by becoming a Friend of Food for the Brain.

References:

Crane PK et al. Glucose levels and risk of dementia. N Engl J Med. 2013;369(6):540–548.
Rawlings AM et al. Diabetes, prediabetes and cognitive decline. Diabetes Care. 2019;42(7):1217–1224.
Kerti L et al. Higher glucose levels relate to lower hippocampal connectivity and cognition. Neurology. 2013;81(20):1746–1752.
Reynolds A et al. Carbohydrate quality and human health: systematic review. Lancet. 2019;393(10170):434–445.

Why Sleep is Your Metabolic Superpower

We tend to think of sleep as rest – the way we replenish energy.  In truth, your sleeping hours are a highly productive repair shift, especially for your metabolism. 

Each night, your body resets blood sugar, clears metabolic waste, restores energy and even rewires memory. Consistently missing out on quality or quantity of sleep means less of that vital repair work gets done.

Most people notice tiredness after a bad night, but few realise the impact it has on their blood sugar, metabolism and even body composition.

So in our last article we explored melatonin’s role in brain repair, in this part 2 we look at how poor sleep throws off your body’s entire metabolic rhythm – from blood sugar to fat storage.

(When we talk about poor sleep, we mean getting less than seven hours a night, sleeping at irregular times, or waking often through the night – all of which disturb the deep, restorative phases your brain depends on.)

Sleep and insulin: two sides of the same coin

Deep, unbroken sleep keeps your cells sensitive to insulin, the hormone that allows glucose into cells to make energy. Cut the night short and this system falters. Just one poor night can reduce insulin sensitivity by about 25 per cent (1).

That means glucose lingers in the bloodstream (creating inflammation over time) while your brain cells are left hungry for fuel.

The result? Brain fog, irritability, and a body craving quick fixes – sugar, caffeine and refined carbohydrates. You’ll have felt this yourself: after a poor night’s sleep, you wake up wanting pastries or toast, not eggs and greens.

The “tired brain” that acts diabetic

When the brain can’t get enough glucose, it flips into survival mode.

Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline surge to keep you going, but they also spike blood sugar and wreck the next night’s sleep (hello, 4 a.m. wake-ups).

Brain scans show that after even a single sleepless night, glucose metabolism in the prefrontal cortex, the region responsible for focus and decision-making, drops sharply (2).

It’s a vicious cycle: sleep loss drives insulin resistance, which drives stress and sugar intake, which drives more sleep loss.

Poor Sleep Changes Your Metabolism

It’s easy to see how poor sleep doesn’t just fog your mind – it rewires your metabolism. Short sleep duration is now recognised as one of the strongest lifestyle predictors of weight gain, insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes – even when calorie intake stays the same,

Even a few nights of shortened sleep raise ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and suppress leptin, which signals fullness (7). The result is stronger cravings for quick-release carbs and sugary snacks, precisely the foods that destabilise blood sugar and accelerate insulin resistance. At the same time, sleep loss changes how your body stores fat: studies show it increases visceral fat, the deep belly fat that drives inflammation (8).

Over time, this mix – more hunger, higher insulin, greater inflammation – pushes many people toward weight gain, pre-diabetes and, eventually, cognitive decline.

So if you’re trying to lose weight or steady your energy, don’t forget about sleep.

High blood sugar, low cognition

Poor sleep raises blood sugar, and when glucose stays high, the brain pays the price.

Overtime poor sleep raises blood sugar, and when glucose stays high, the brain eventually pays the price. Chronically elevated HbA1c, measured in our DRIfT test, predicts faster cognitive decline and higher dementia risk. The same metabolic stress that drives weight gain and diabetes also drives neurodegeneration. That’s why people with insomnia or sleep apnoea are far more likely to develop both type-2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s (3, 4).That is why we cover both sleep and insulin management as a key part of our COGNITION 6-month brain upgrade programme (available to all FRIEND’s of Food for the Brain) – because protecting your brain is possible when you know what to focus on.

The night-shift hormones that matter

Melatonin isn’t just for sleep – it fine-tunes your body’s glucose rhythm and acts as a powereful antioxidant. When evening light suppresses it, next-morning blood sugar shoots higher (5).
Cortisol should fall overnight so insulin can do its work; if stress, late eating or light keeps it high, blood sugar stays stuck.
Growth hormone, released in deep sleep, repairs tissue and builds lean muscle, your natural blood-sugar buffer.

Together these hormones keep the night restorative and the brain calm. Disrupt them and the same chemistry that fuels diabetes starts fuelling Alzheimer’s (6).

Simple Ways to Turn Sleep into a Metabolic Superpower

Guard your 7–8 hours. Deep sleep is where metabolic reset happens.
Skip caffeine or alcohol late. Both fragment sleep and blunt insulin response.
Finish eating at least three hours before bed. Giving your body time to fast allows insulin to fall and encourages fat use for fuel overnight.
Start your day with light, not sugar. Early daylight synchronises your circadian rhythm, boosting morning cortisol naturally so you rely less on coffee and quick carbs.
Pair protein-rich, low-GL meals with consistent sleep. Balanced blood sugar by day supports stable melatonin and growth hormone at night, a feedback loop that keeps your metabolism working for you, not against you. Find 100+ delicious recipes here.https://foodforthebrain.org/uybcookapp/

Sleep as metabolic medicine

Sleep isn’t a luxury or a waste of time –  it’s your brain’s way of resetting and restoring the entire body. It shapes body composition, curbs cravings, steadies energy and supports the metabolism that powers your mind.

Takeaway: good sleep, like good nutrition, is prevention in action.
Want to dive deeper? Join us for the Sleep Solution Webinar with sleep scientist Greg Potter. Find out more here

Food for the Brain is a not-for-profit educational and research charity that offers a free Cognitive Function Test and assesses your Dementia Risk Index to be able to advise you on how to dementia-proof your diet and lifestyle.

By completing the Cognitive Function Test you are joining our grassroots research initiative to find out what really works for preventing cognitive decline. We share our ongoing research results with you to help you make brain-friendly choices.

Please support our research by becoming a Friend of Food for the Brain.

Reference:

Spiegel K et al. Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function. Lancet. 1999;354(9188):1435–9.

Benedict C et al. Acute sleep deprivation reduces energy expenditure and brain glucose metabolism. Sleep. 2012;35(7):981–8.

Yaffe K et al. Sleep duration and risk of type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis. Diabetes Care. 2015;38(9):1633–40.

Sabia S et al. Association of sleep duration in middle and old age with dementia incidence. Nat Commun. 2021;12:2289.

Gooley JJ et al. Exposure to room light before bedtime suppresses melatonin onset and shortens its duration. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(3):E463–72.

Musiek ES, Holtzman DM. Mechanisms linking circadian clocks, sleep, and neurodegeneration. Science. 2016;354(6315):1004–8.

Spiegel K et al. Brief sleep curtailment decreases leptin, increases ghrelin, and causes increased hunger and appetite. Ann Intern Med. 2004;141(11):846–50.

Nedeltcheva AV et al. Insufficient sleep undermines dietary efforts to reduce adiposity. Ann Intern Med. 2010;153(7):435–41.

Sugar, Metabolic Syndrome and Early-Onset Dementia: Is This Type 3 Diabetes?

Why are more people in their 40s and 50s developing dementia? Most assume the answer lies in the genes. But here’s the reality: fewer than 1% of Alzheimer’s cases are caused by rare genetic mutations. The other 99%? They are driven largely by preventable, lifestyle-related factors – and at the centre of the storm is how we process sugar, , leading many scientists to describe Alzheimer’s as “Type 3 diabetes.”

A major new study of nearly two million people confirms that metabolic syndrome – the cluster of blood sugar imbalance, abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, and poor lipid levels  – significantly increases the risk of early-onset dementia.

This should be front-page news. Dementia is now affecting people in their 40s and 50s, not just the elderly. And at the heart of this early decline? Poor blood sugar control, excess abdominal fat, and the metabolic mayhem caused by high-sugar diets.

The Evidence: 24% Higher Risk of Dementia Before Age 65

The landmark 2024 study published in JAMA Neurology followed more than 1.9 million adults and found that those with metabolic syndrome had a 24% higher risk of developing dementia before the age of 65 compared with those without (1).

The strongest associations were observed with:

Hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar)
Abdominal obesity (visceral fat around the waist)

These two factors, when present together, were particularly predictive of vascular dementia, although risks were also elevated for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

The authors adjusted for other lifestyle and demographic factors, confirming that metabolic health itself was an independent driver. Men and those in their 40s showed the highest vulnerability.This aligns with decades of research linking insulin resistance and poor glucose control with brain shrinkage, memory loss, and neurodegeneration – all of which are discussed in detail in [here] and [here]. 

The Type 3 Diabetes Hypothesis

Scientists have increasingly referred to Alzheimer’s disease as “Type 3 diabetes” – a term that reflects how brain cells become resistant to insulin and fail to metabolise glucose properly.

Chronically high blood sugar damages blood vessels in the brain, increases inflammation, and accelerates the formation of amyloid plaques, all hallmark features of Alzheimer’s pathology. This new study provides the strongest population-level evidence to date that the same dysfunction is also driving younger-onset dementia.

The Role of Fructose and Processed Sugar

Endocrinologist and paediatric neuroendocrinologist Dr Robert Lustig has long warned of the unique effects of fructose (a sugar found in high-fructose corn syrup and added sugars) on the brain. Unlike glucose, fructose is processed in the liver, promoting visceral fat, insulin resistance, and inflammation – all central to metabolic syndrome (2).

When the brain is chronically exposed to excess sugar and insulin, its ability to generate energy and form new synapses becomes impaired. Over time, it is as if the brain is being starved, even in the midst of plenty.

 This isn’t just a long-term risk – we’re now seeing it play out in middle-aged adults.

Thankfully we know that there is much you can do to prevent this from happening – your future is in your hands – here is what to focus on.

What Can You Do? Five Simple Shifts

Check your blood sugar regulation. The HbA1c test is a key marker of long-term blood glucose control. (Available via our home test kits and in our DRIfT 5 in 1 test kit.)
Prioritise low-GL, whole foods. Swap out refined carbohydrates and processed sugars for whole grains, legumes, nuts, and non-starchy vegetables.
Limit fructose. Reduce or remove sweetened drinks (including fruit juice), syrups, and processed snacks high in high-fructose corn syrup. Read more on high/low fructose foods here.
Assess your waist size. Abdominal fat is a strong dementia risk factor. A healthy waistline helps protect your brain.
Exercise regularly. Just 30 minutes a day improves insulin sensitivity and helps the brain use glucose more efficiently.

Need help taking action on the above? Struggle to know how to ditch your sweet tooth?

Join us in the Forget Sugar Webinar in October with Patrick Holford.

A Wake-Up Call, Not a Life Sentence

This study shows a sobering trend – but Food for the Brain exists to empower you in your prevention path. Early-onset dementia is not inevitable. It is largely preventable if you act now. Sugar, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome are right at the centre of the problem.

We need public health messaging that reflects this. Dementia is not just an age-related disease. It’s a lifestyle-driven brain disorder that begins years, even decades, before diagnosis.

Your brain doesn’t have to retire early – start your brain upgrade programme and journey today.Want to assess your brain health? Complete this free validated online Cognitive Function test to receive personalised insights into your brain health, along with guidance on what you can do to reduce your risk and protect your future!

Food for the Brain is a not-for-profit educational and research charity that offers a free Cognitive Function Test and assesses your Dementia Risk Index to be able to advise you on how to dementia-proof your diet and lifestyle.

By completing the Cognitive Function Test you are joining our grassroots research initiative to find out what really works for preventing cognitive decline. We share our ongoing research results with you to help you make brain-friendly choices.

Please support our research by becoming a Friend of Food for the Brain.

References

 Jang H et al. Association Between Metabolic Syndrome and Early-Onset Dementia in a Nationwide Cohort. JAMA Neurol. 2024. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2024.xxxxxx
Lustig RH. Fat Chance: The Hidden Truth About Sugar, Obesity and Disease. Penguin; 2013.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12450889/

How To Break Free From Food Addiction

Do you ever promise yourself you’ll stop eating sugar or junk food – only to find yourself back at the biscuit tin a few hours later? You’re not alone. Food addiction is real. In fact, it can be as powerful and pervasive as alcohol addiction.

The first step is awareness. According to clinical psychologist Dr Jen Unwin, there are six warning signs. If you recognise yourself in two or more, it may be time to take this seriously.

Read on to see if any apply to you.

Six Signs You May Be Addicted to Food

1. Certain foods feel impossible to resist

 “You’re craving a certain food so badly that you feel compelled to eat it, even when you know you shouldn’t,” Dr Unwin explains. At the height of her own addiction, she would secretly make a bowl of cake mixture – just butter, sugar and flour -and eat the entire thing raw. “It sounds ridiculous now, but I had such intense cravings for sweet, soft, sugary foods,” she explains.

2. You always need more

Like alcohol tolerance, food addiction builds over time. “One slice of cake may have been enough in the beginning, but soon you need two, three – or half the cake – to get the same dopamine hit,” says Dr Unwin. She recalls eating slice after slice at her daughter’s wedding, unable to stop until she felt sick.

3. Food takes priority over everything else

A common factor in addiction is that you begin to ignore what you once valued and prioritise food above socialising, hobbies, family time and even work. Often, Dr Unwin would leave the house and her family in secret to drive for 20 minutes to a cinema complex where she would order a large tub of Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough ice cream with chocolate sauce. She would then return to her car and eat the entire portion, feeling ashamed and elated at the same time, before returning home an hour later as if nothing had happened.

4. You lose control once you start

You might buy biscuits for your grandchildren, planning to have just one with your tea. Before you know it, the whole packet has disappeared.

5. Withdrawal symptoms kick in

If you try to cut down on sugary snacks and carbohydrates, do you experience withdrawal symptoms? “These include headaches, migraines, gastrointestinal symptoms, low mood, anxiety, fatigue and brain fog,” Dr Unwin says. “As people experience sugar withdrawal, they feel so bad that they just go back to eating it.” When Dr Unwin completely abstained from sugar, she experienced many of these symptoms for eight days. But after pushing through that difficult period, she began feeling better than ever.

6. You know it’s harming you – and carry on anyway

According to Dr Unwin, this is the defining sign: eating damaging foods despite knowing the consequences. She references a patient with Type 2 diabetes who kept bingeing on cake and sugar knowing how bad it is for their blood sugar. People in this situation often know the food is harmful, but they feel trapped in a cycle.

Why Processed Foods Hijack Your Brain

Breaking free from any addiction is not purely a matter of willpower. Addictive foods and drinks hijack your brain’s chemistry, making you crave them. This effect is purposely done so that you keep buying more.

Understanding how certain food ingredients and combinations work in the brain unlocks the secret to undoing food addiction. The most powerful trigger is the combination of fat and sugar – the two key components of most junk foods. Think cakes, biscuits, ice cream, chocolate bars and pastries. This pairing presses the brain’s dopamine “reward” switch, creating intense pleasure in the moment but diminishing feelings of satisfaction over time. Just like drugs, it fuels cravings and loss of control.
This hijacking of the dopamine-based reward system doesn’t just drive overeating – it also increases the risk of cognitive decline and brain shrinkage. Additionally, it disrupts glucose control and drives insulin resistance, a well-known promoter of cognitive decline.  (Read more –  ‘Is Sugar Killing Your Brain?’)

Nutritional Tools That Reset Your Brain

In Patrick Holford’s book How to Quit without Feeling S**t  he recommends strategies that help restore balance to your brain chemistry:

Omega-3 fats – vital for healthy cell membranes and for receiving neurotransmitter messages.
B vitamins and methylation – check homocysteine levels; if they are high, it may indicate poor methylation and raised risk of cognitive decline.
Tyrosine – dopamine is made from this amino acid. A supplement of 500mg twice daily can help support dopamine production.

Protein + slow carbs – pairing protein (such as nuts or Greek yogurt) with fruit like berries slows sugar release and provides fibre and nutrients.

If you feel like you are struggling to break free from food addiction, then join  Dr Jen Unwin’s live webinar on Wednesday, 24th September – find out more here.

 A clinical Psychologist’s Practical Tips on How to break free; 

Visualise how life will improve once you manage to quit your “drug foods”. These are typically ultra-processed and sugary foods with which you’re unlikely to have a healthy relationship.
Have an honest conversation with friends and family about the foods you struggle with, and ask for their support in resisting them..
Removing the “drug foods” from your home and diet is key. Replace them with natural, whole foods.
Give it time. Every day you resist, it gets easier. “Those foods are no longer in my thoughts at all,” says Dr Unwin.
If you take medication for diabetes or high blood pressure, consult your GPbefore reducing sugar and carbohydrates in your diet, as your dosage may need adjusting.
If you’re concerned about food addiction or would like to learn more, Dr Unwin recommends joining a Public Health Collaboration (PHC) support group in the UK, or Sweet Sobriety in the US. The PHC also runs a virtual lifestyle support group every Monday at 6pm, where you can learn more about overcoming food addiction and maintaining good metabolic health.

The Bigger Picture

Food addiction is more than a personal struggle and it impacts more people than you realise. It’s part of a wider public health crisis, fuelling obesity, diabetes and dementia – but no matter where you are at right now, change is possible!

Ways to get support:

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When that mid-morning dip or afternoon slump hits, it’s tempting to reach for a quick fix – something sweet, something carby, something to perk you up. But most conventional snacks don’t fuel your brain – they drain it.

In fact, snacking is one of the easiest ways to sabotage your long-term brain health and memory. Most people wouldn’t eat a plate of sugar at mealtimes (unless they start the day with shop-bought cereal or sweetened yoghurt), yet it’s common to reach for a bar, a biscuit, or something from a petrol station or coffee shop without a second thought.

These everyday choices are a silent driver of brain fog, low mood, memory problems – even dementia. It’s time to upgrade your brain by upgrading your snacks. Below, we share a free Brain Boost Bites recipe and some other smart snack ideas – perfect for long drives, picnics, or busy days on the go.

The Problem with Typical Snacks

The modern snack aisle is a minefield of ultra-processed foods: cereal bars, crisps, flavoured yoghurts, granola bites, and biscuits – many of them marketed as “healthy”. But beneath the surface, they’re often:

High in sugar or refined carbs – causing a rapid blood glucose spike followed by a crash. Many so-called healthy bars contain over 15g of sugar with little fibre, protein, or healthy fat to balance them.
Low in brain-essential nutrients – such as omega-3s, magnesium, or phospholipids.
Full of artificial additives – emulsifiers, preservatives, and even excitotoxins like MSG.
Designed for instant gratification – often with addictive properties rather than sustained energy.

As explained in our Four Horsemen of the Mental Health Apocalypse series (read Part 1 here and Part 2 here), poor glucose control is a key driver of accelerated brain ageing and cognitive decline. A high-sugar snack spikes blood sugar, then causes a crash that reduces brain energy and impairs mental performance. Over time, this rollercoaster leads to insulin resistance, which is strongly linked to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.

The Smart Snacking Solution

The answer isn’t to stop snacking altogether – it’s to snack smart.

Our in-house chef and lecturer in culinary nutrition and functional health, Kim Close, shares a free recipe below from the Upgrade Your Brain Cook App. It’s packed with brain-supportive nutrients and perfect for keeping your energy and focus steady.

And if you’re not sure what to eat for better brain health, the Cook App includes 120+ recipes (and growing) to guide you meal by meal.

👉 Subscribe to the Cook App – just £30/year

Brain Boost Bites

Refined sugar-free | Fibre-rich | Brain-fat fuelled | Brain Boosting

Other Smart Snack Ideas:

Oatcakes with almond butter or smoked mackerel pâté
Olives 
Square of Dark Chocolate Bar (Recipe in Cook App)
Hummus or nut butter with raw veggie sticks
A boiled egg with cherry tomatoes
A handful of walnuts or pumpkin seeds
A small cup of full-fat Greek yoghurt with blueberries
Chia pudding made with coconut milk (recipe in the app)
2 squares of 85%+ dark chocolate

Snacking wisely is one of the easiest daily upgrades you can make for your brain. And with the right ingredients, it can be delicious too.

How can we lift our mood and nourish our brain? 

Depression, now the leading cause of disability globally, affects millions. According to the World Health Organization, it represents a significant disease burden, particularly in high-income countries (1). With a staggering 100 million antidepressant prescriptions issued annually—a 70% increase in five years—it’s clear that something is going wrong in our modern western world (1).

Thankfully, nutrition and lifestyle changes provide science-backed ways to boost our mood naturally.

(If you want to know more about how to overcome depression then make sure you watch our webinar ‘Finding your way out of depression’).

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Understanding Depression

Depression manifests through persistent feelings of hopelessness, low energy, disrupted sleep, and even physical changes such as weight loss or gain (2). The root causes can be multifactorial—psychological stress, biochemical imbalances, or nutritional deficiencies.

But here’s the good news: you can take simple, practical steps to nourish your brain, boost serotonin, and improve your mood naturally.

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7 Ways to Boost Mood and Brain Function

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1. Increase Your Omega-3 Fats

Your brain is 60% fat, and omega-3 DHA and EPA are critical for its structure and function. Countries with high fish consumption have lower depression rates. A study from Harvard Medical School found that EPA, specifically, has potent antidepressant effects.

A meta-analysis published in Psychopharmacology Bulletin found that higher omega-3 intake reduces depressive symptoms by 53%. Omega-3 helps build brain cell membranes and boosts serotonin receptor function, which improves mood and cognition.

What to do: Eat oily fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel at least twice a week or supplement with high-dose omega-3 fish oil. Aim for 1,000–2,000 mg of EPA and DHA combined daily (4, 5, 6).

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2. Optimise Your B Vitamins and Lower Homocysteine

The little-known amino acid, homocysteine, may double your risk for depression if levels are elevated. This toxic by-product accumulates when you’re deficient in B6, B12, and folic acid, impairing brain chemistry. 

Studies by Professor David Smith from Oxford show that lowering homocysteine can dramatically slow brain shrinkage and improve mood. Which is why we now offer at home homocysteine test kits so you can monitor your own level and prevent disease (7,8,9).

What to do: Eat leafy greens, whole grains, and fortified foods. Test your homocysteine and aim for levels below 7 μmol/L. Supplement with a methylated B complex (20 mg B6, 500 μg B12, and 400 μg methylfolate).

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“B vitamins are brain-makers; without them, key neurotransmitters like serotonin can’t be synthesised” – Patrick Holford, Upgrade Your Brain.

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3. Fuel Your Brain with Serotonin Precursors

Serotonin, your “happy hormone”, is made from tryptophan, an amino acid found in protein-rich foods like fish, poultry, beans, and eggs. For some, tryptophan conversion to serotonin is impaired due to poor digestion or low stomach acid, common with age and stress.

Supplementing with 5-HTP can bypass these barriers. Clinical studies show 5-HTP compares favourably with SSRIs in treating depression (10, 11, 12, 13).

What to do: Include tryptophan-rich foods daily and consider a 5-HTP supplement (100–200 mg twice daily). Always consult your doctor if combining with antidepressants.

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4. Balance Your Blood Sugar

Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is essential for mood regulation, as uneven glucose supply to the brain can lead to irritability, fatigue, and depressive symptoms. Diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugar contribute to these fluctuations and are linked to poor mood and an increased risk of depression. A study of 3,456 adults found that individuals consuming diets rich in processed foods had a 58% greater risk of depression, whereas those eating whole foods experienced a 26% reduced risk (14, 14, 16).

 Refined sugars also deplete mood-enhancing nutrients like B vitamins, essential for energy production, and divert chromium, which is vital for glucose regulation. Adopting a low glycaemic load (GL) diet, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and focusing on whole foods, fruits, and vegetables can help stabilise blood sugar levels and improve mood.

What to do: Follow a Low-GL diet with whole foods, low-GL carbs, and protein at every meal. Avoid sugar, caffeine, and alcohol .

5. Boost Your Vitamin D Levels

The “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D, is essential for mood regulation. Research shows a 40% lower incidence of depression in those with adequate vitamin D. Alarmingly, over 60% of the UK population is deficient during winter (17, 18, 19, 20).

What to do: Get tested and aim for levels above 75 nmol/L. Supplement with 2,000–3,000 IU daily in winter months.

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6. Include Chromium to Combat Atypical Depression

If you suffer from atypical depression—characterised by weight gain, fatigue, and carbohydrate cravings—you might benefit from chromium. Studies show chromium supplementation can improve mood scores by up to 83% (21, 22, 23).

What to do: Include whole grains and vegetables or supplement with 600 mcg of chromium picolinate daily.

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7. Bring on the Sunshine and Movement

Exercise and sunlight have a direct effect on serotonin levels and mood. Regular exercise boosts brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which helps build new brain cells and connections】.

What to do: Aim for 30 minutes of exercise daily and sun exposure for 15 minutes, when safe.

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Key Action Plan

Eat oily fish twice weekly or supplement omega-3s with at least 1,000 mg EPA and DHA.
Test and lower homocysteine with B6, B12, and folic acid supplements.
Try 5-HTP to boost serotonin naturally.
Follow a Low-GL diet to stabilise blood sugar.
Supplement vitamin D during winter. Find out more about dose here.
Add chromium for atypical depression.
Exercise regularly and get sensible sun exposure.

—

—

Food for the Brain is a not-for-profit educational and research charity that offers a free Cognitive Function Test and assesses your Dementia Risk Index to be able to advise you on how to dementia-proof your diet and lifestyle.

By completing the Cognitive Function Test you are joining our grassroots research initiative to find out what really works for preventing cognitive decline. We share our ongoing research results with you to help you make brain-friendly choices.

Please support our research by becoming a Friend of Food for the Brain.

 References

World Health Organization. Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders: Global Health Estimates. WHO; 2017.
Brown G, et al. Social support, self-esteem and depression. Psychol Med. 1986;16(4):813-31.
Hibbeln JR. ‘Fish consumption and major depression’. Lancet, vol 351(9110), pp. 1213 (1998)
M. Peet and R, Stokes, Omega 3 Fatty Acids in the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders Drugs, vol 65(8), pp. 1051-9 (2005)
S Kraguljac NV, Montori VM, Pavuluri M, Chai HS, Wilson BS, Unal SS (2009) Efficacy of omega-3 Fatty acids in mood disorders – a systematic review and metaanalysis. Psychopharmacology Bulletin 42(3):39-54
Hibbeln JR. Fish consumption and major depression. Lancet. 1998;351(9110):1213.
Coppen A, Bailey J. Folic acid and affective disorders. J Affect Disord. 2000;60(2):121-30.
Taylor MJ, Carney SM, Goodwin GM, Geddes JR. Folate for depressive disorders. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;(2):CD003390.
Smith AD, Refsum H. Homocysteine, B vitamins, and cognitive impairment. Annu Rev Nutr. 2016;36:211-39.
Poldinger W et al. A comparison of 5-hydroxytryptophan and fluvoxamine. Psychopathology. 1991;24(2):53-81.
E. Turner, Serotoninalacarte: Supplementation with the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan.’ Pharmacology&Therapeutics (2005) [article in press].
W. Poldinger et al. A functional-dimensional approach to depression: serotonin deficiency and target syndrome in a comparison of 5-hydroxytryptophan and fluvoxamine, Psychopathology vol 24(2), pp. 53-81 (1991)
Associate editor: K.A. Neve ‘Serotonin a la carte: Supplementation with the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan’ ErickH. Turner a,c,d,*, Jennifer M. Loftis a,b,c, AaronD. Blackwell a,b,e Pharmacology & Therapeutics(2005) www.elsevier.com/locate/pharmthera
Akbaraly TN, Brunner EJ, Ferrie JE, et al. Dietary pattern and depressive symptoms in middle age. Br J Psychiatry. 2009;195:408–13.
Benton D, Owens DS, Parker PY. Blood glucose influences memory and mood in an everyday setting. Biol Psychol. 1982;14(1-2):129–35.
Christensen L. Psychological distress and diet – effects of sucrose and caffeine. J Appl Nutr. 1988;40(1):44–50.
Lansdowne AT, Provost SC (1998): Demonstrates that vitamin D3 supplementation enhances mood in healthy subjects during winter.
C. Wilkins et al. (2006): Links vitamin D deficiency to low mood and poorer cognitive performance in older adults.
A. Nanri et al. (2009): Discusses the association between vitamin D levels and depressive symptoms across seasonal changes.
R. Jorde et al. (2008): Shows that vitamin D supplementation alleviates depressive symptoms in overweight and obese individuals
Lifting Depression – The Chromium Connection by Dr Malcolm McLeod (Basic Health Publications):
J. R. Davidson et al, Effectiveness of chromium in atypical depression: a placebo-controlled trial, Biol Psychiatry, vol 53(3), pp. 261-4 (2003)
Docherty, J et al, ‘A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Exploratory Trial of Chromium Picolinate in Atypical Depression’. Journal of Psychiatric Practice. Vol 11(5), pp. 302-314, (2005)
Holford P. Upgrade Your Brain. HarperCollins; 2024.

By Jerome Burke

Why too much fructose is driving dementia, diabetes and brain fog

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The fruit sugar ‘fructose’ isn’t generally considered a food that’s best avoided. After all, it comes from fruit.

Yet a radical new theory, developed by Richard Johnson, Professor of Nephrology at the University of Colorado, explains how it can trigger various damaging changes in our metabolism that make us more likely to develop chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer’s. If doctors better understood this, it could transform the new emphasis on sickness prevention that the government is promising.

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The science of being ‘fructed’

Professor Johnson has produced what is effectively a biochemical wiring diagram of the connections which fructose turns on and off, that are making an increasing number of people sick. Fructose makes up half of white sugar and most of fructose corn syrup which is the main sweetener in fizzy drinks and ultra-processed foods as well as being the main sugar in fruit, particularly fruit juice.

For instance, the amount of fat stored in the liver increases, driving fatty liver disease, while the cell’s mitochondria, which create the body and brain’s energy molecule ATP, become less productive and blood pressure goes up. The result is that you get fatter, with more brain fog and fatigue and feel less inclined to exercise. Fructose is also a major promoter of diabetes.

Meanwhile an anti-ageing process called autophagy, which would normally clear away used up and damaged mitochondria, the cell’s energy factories, to make room for new ones, is disabled. When fructose crosses the blood-brain barrier into the brain, it is one of the factors causing the brain to form the clumps of amyloid protein found in Alzheimer’s, which is the focus of new drug treatments. 

Why on earth does fructose carry out such a blitz on our bodies? Why would the body run a programme that was potentially so lethal?

“It would be wrong to think of fructose as some sort of major toxin, although it becomes neurotoxic in excess,” says Professor Johnson. “Instead, its remarkable range of effects are part of an ancient set of biological programs, which we call the ‘Survival Switch’, that work to prepare animals for hibernation, storing supplies in preparation for times of famine.” This is why fat storage increases and energy drops off producing brain fog. The trouble is we never run out of food or fructose in our modern times.

—

Eat your fruit, don’t drink it.

None of this means that we should avoid fruits, which contain only a small amount of fructose that comes with beneficial fibre that feeds our vital gut bacteria, plus various nutrients. Not so for fruit juice, devoid of fibre. A glass of orange juice is the equivalent of three oranges in terms of fructose, but without the fibre. So, eat your fruit, don’t drink it.

But this does explain why too much blood glucose from regularly eating generous amounts of sugar-laden foods and carbohydrates, is so damaging? The liver turns the excess glucose into fructose with all its knock-on effects. Other substances that can accelerate fructose production are alcohol and salt. 

This rise in fructose intake and its presence in processed food makes it all too easy to start piling on the pounds, regardless of how many calories you have cut or how much further you are running.  It’s a connection that very few nutritionists or GPs are aware of. 

A sign of the widespread damage the Survival Switch can cause is that there are low ATP levels in the brains of people with disorders such as obesity, diabetes, fatty liver disease and Alzheimer’s. Understanding this points to new ways to cut the risks of these chronic disorders.  Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a molecule that stores and provides energy for cells. It’s a key biomolecule that’s involved in almost all cellular processes.

A simple, but very effective solution, is to run a blood test – HbA1c – the gold standard test GPs use to screen for diabetes. HbA1c is a test that measures your average blood sugar level (glucose) over the past two to three months. A recent study of 374,021 older men with diabetes found that keeping the level of HbA1c stable at an optimal level over a period of three years cut risk of dementia by a third. Similar benefits have been found with patients with pre-diabetes (Prediabetes means that your blood sugars are higher than usual, but not high enough for you to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It also means that you are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.) But far lower levels of HbA1c than those used to diagnose diabetes are associated with the first signs of brain shrinkage, which is the hallmark of cognitive decline, even in teenagers.

That is why we offer, as part of our ‘citizen science’ research, an at home pin-prick test of HbA1c, to find out not only who is at risk, but also how to reverse that risk. It also works alongside the  free Cognitive Function Test that calculates your future Dementia Risk Index and suggests various lifestyle and nutrition changes to help reduce it, including a low fructose diet (Find out more about low fructose foods here).   

We also recommend increasing omega-3 intake from oily fish, increasing B vitamins, especially B12, as well as an active lifestyle, as part of COGNITION, our personalised 6-month programme. In this programme we also dive deeper into lowering your ‘glycaemic load’ (GL), which is low in fructose, alongside periods of time of eating in a ‘ketogenic’ way by keeping sugar and carbohydrates to a minimum. The body responds by creating ketones, energy packets that can replace glucose as an energy source for the brain, helping to undo the damage. 

(You get access to COGNITION when you become a FRIEND of Food for the Brain here)

‘Burning ketones can also increase the number and output of the cell’s energy factories, known as mitochondria, which are damaged by fructose,’ says Professor Robert Lustig of the University of California, author of the best-selling book Metabolical and who sits on our Scientific Advisory Board. You can read more in his detailed article here.

Both Professor Johnson and Professor Lustig are also part of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Expert Group who have written to UK dementia prevention authorities to add sugar, and specifically a high fructose diet, to the list of known risk factors.

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The connection to Ozempic…

This low fructose approach also naturally promotes the enzyme GLP-1, targeted by the weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, but without the side-effects or rebound weight gain. 

Our founder Patrick Holford says: “Today’s typical diet of burgers, carbonated drinks, fruit juice, ice cream, bread, biscuits, cakes and confectionery, plus alcohol and salt, is a dementia time-bomb. Our brains are literally being ‘fructed’. We see the same shrinkage in the same regions of the brain in teenagers with a high sugar intake that are seen in older Alzheimer’s patients. We think of the resulting dementia as type-3 diabetes.”

—

Actions

To find out more about low fructose foods visit www.foodforthebrain.org/fructose 
Click here to join our research and test your HbA1c with us
Support our charitable work and research by becoming a FRIEND

Thank you for reading!

Food for the Brain is a non-for-profit educational and research charity that offers a free Cognitive Function Test and assesses your Dementia Risk Index to be able to advise you on how to dementia-proof your diet and lifestyle.

By completing the Cognitive Function Test you are joining our grassroots research initiative to find out what really works for preventing cognitive decline. We share our ongoing research results with you to help you make brain-friendly choices.

Please support our research by becoming a Friend of Food for the Brain.

References:

Johnson RJ et al. The fructose survival hypothesis for obesity. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2023 Sep 11;378(1885):20220230. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0230
Underwood PC et al HbA1cTime in Range and Dementia JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Aug 1;7(8):e2425354. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.25354
https://foodforthebrain.org/lancet-commission-letters/ 
Yau PL et al Obesity and metabolic syndrome and structural brain impairments in adolescence. Pediatrics. 2012 Oct;130(4):e856-64. doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-0324

Too much sugar shrinks the brain, but it’s so attractive. Why?

We are led by the science here at Food for the Brain, so we know that one of the best things you can do for your brain is to reduce your sugar and support your insulin control. That is why it is one of our key lifestyle domains in the COGNITION programme. 

However, you probably already know too much sugar isn’t great for health but how can we make eating a lower carb and sugar life easier?

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First, let’s recap the science… 

Dr. Robert Lustig, a renowned expert on brain health and a member of our scientific advisory board, highlights the significant role of insulin control and dietary choices in preventing cognitive decline.

Research from Columbia University in 2004 revealed that individuals with high insulin levels, (a primary indicator of metabolic dysfunction), were twice as likely to develop dementia compared to those with healthy insulin levels (1). Furthermore, those with the highest insulin levels exhibited the worst memory retrieval abilities (1). Similarly, an Italian study linked elevated insulin levels to declining mental function (2).

Several studies have established a connection between high sugar consumption and poor cognitive outcomes. For instance, a study among Puerto Ricans found that high sugar intake doubled the risk of cognitive impairment (3), while another U.S. study correlated elevated blood sugar levels with memory loss (4). The detrimental impact of high dietary glycaemic load (GL) on cognitive function has been observed in studies from Ireland and the United States, indicating that high GL diets are strongly associated with Alzheimer’s-related pathological changes (5,6).

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What is Glycaemic load?

Glycaemic load considers both the quality (GI – glycaemic index) and the quantity (carbohydrate content) of the carbohydrates in a food serving. It provides a more accurate picture of how a food will affect blood sugar levels. The formula for calculating glycaemic load is:

GL  = GI x carbohydrate / 100

A high GL diet measured by the total glucose load on the bloodstream, is linked to increased amyloid plaque formation and cognitive decline, particularly in individuals with the ApoE4 gene, which regulates fat metabolism (7). Even individuals with high-normal blood glucose levels experience greater brain shrinkage and cognitive impairment compared to those with lower levels, as shown in long-term studies (8).

Plus, the damage of a high-GL diet can start early in life. Dr. Lustig points out that overweight children on high-GL diets show signs of cognitive decline, and adolescents with metabolic dysfunction from such diets exhibit hippocampal shrinkage and other brain structure changes (9,10).

So it is clear that eating excess sugar or the wrong types of carbohydrates with a high GL is a problem, so what do you eat?

(Wondering if you’re eating too much sugar? Then test, don’t guess with our home HbA1c test – find out more here.)

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What to eat?

There are two options: following a low GL diet or going a step further and adhering to a ketogenic approach (or switching between the two as Patrick highlights in the Hybrid Diet book). For more info on the ketogenic diet click here to find out more

A low GL diet is focused on consuming foods that have a minimal impact on blood sugar. Basically a diet rich in:

Vegetables: Most non-starchy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and bell peppers.
Fruits: Berries, cherries, grapefruit, and apples.
Legumes: Lentils, chickpeas, and black beans.
Whole Grains: Barley, quinoa, and whole oats.
Fish and meat or tofu/tempeh: unprocessed
Dairy: Plain yoghurt and milk (unsweetened).
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds.

Whilst eating this way can support your brain health it can also help you sustain energy levels, help with weight loss and improve heart health.

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So how can we make it easier?

At Food for the Brain we have a few ways to help you feed your brain on the right foods:

Complete the Cognitive Function Test and join COGNITION so we can walk you through how to reduce sugar and upgrade your brain over the next few months.
Upgrade Your Brain Cook App – full of low GL recipes and coming soon. Help us by pre ordering today to get brain-loving recipes at your fingertips.
Here is a recipe sample:

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Almond and coconut porridge

Breakfast Serves 2, generously 

TOTAL GLs: 4

Ingredients:

2 tbsp milled flaxseed
2 tbsp coconut flour
2 tbsp whole flaxseed
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp coconut flakes, toasted in a dry pan
2 tbsp raspberries
2 tbsp blueberries
2 strawberries
8 walnuts, broken up
1 tbsp soft brown sugar alternative (or sweetener of choice)
300ml unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp chicory root syrup (or sweetener of choice)

Instructions:

Stir everything (except the desiccated coconut, nuts and berries) together in a saucepan and let sit for 10 mins.
Gently heat through until thickened – add a little more milk if needed to get the consistency you like.
Top with the berries, nuts and toasted coconut – add some natural yoghurt if you like.
Drizzle with the chicory syrup 

Cooks Notes

It’s worth seeking out the chicory syrup – very low sugar and also high fibre. 

Nutrition Highlights

Antioxidants: High in antioxidants, particularly vitamins A, C, and E, which help protect cells from damage and support immune function.
Protein: A moderate source of protein, supporting muscle maintenance and repair.
Fibre: Contains a high amount of fibre, aiding in digestion and promoting satiety.

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Other resources

Here are a few other resources to make low sugar easier, 

FATT bars – easy low GL and low carb snacks for on-the-go. Use the code FFTB10 to save 10% and FATT will donate to the charity with every purchase.

Dillon bread – low carb bread and their brand new high fibre, low GL, Chicory Fibre Syrup perfect for adding to porridge and also suitable for diabetics. Use code FFB10 to save 10% and Dillon will donate 10% with every purchase.

Keto Mojo – if you want to take it a step further and follow a ketogenic diet then grab one of their ketone readers to make life easier and to check you are in ketosis. Use code FFB10 to save 10%.

These companies are some of our supporting organisations – find out more here.

Thank you for reading!

Food for the Brain is a non-for-profit educational and research charity that offers a free Cognitive Function Test and assesses your Dementia Risk Index to be able to advise you on how to dementia-proof your diet and lifestyle.

By completing the Cognitive Function Test you are joining our grassroots research initiative to find out what really works for preventing cognitive decline. We share our ongoing research results with you to help you make brain-friendly choices.

Please support our research by becoming a Friend of Food for the Brain.

References

Abbatecola AM, Paolisso G, Lamponi M, Bandinelli S, Lauretani F, Launer L, Ferrucci L. Insulin resistance and executive dysfunction in older persons. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004 Oct;52(10):1713-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52466.x. PMID: 15450050.
Abbatecola AM, Paolisso G, Lamponi M, Bandinelli S, Lauretani F, Launer L, Ferrucci L. Insulin resistance and executive dysfunction in older persons. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004 Oct;52(10):1713-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52466.x. PMID: 15450050.
Ye X, Gao X, Scott T, Tucker KL. Habitual sugar intake and cognitive function among middle-aged and older Puerto Ricans without diabetes. Br J Nutr. 2011 Nov;106(9):1423-32; doi: 10.1017/S0007114511001760. Epub 2011 Jun 1. PMID: 21736803; PMCID: PMC4876724.
Power SE, O’Connor EM, Ross RP, Stanton C, O’Toole PW, Fitzgerald GF, Jeffery IB. Dietary glycaemic load associated with cognitive performance in elderly subjects. Eur J Nutr. 2015 Jun;54(4):557-68. doi: 10.1007/s00394-014-0737-5. Epub 2014 Jul 18. PMID: 25034880.
Seetharaman S, Andel R, McEvoy C, Dahl Aslan AK, Finkel D, Pedersen NL. Blood glucose, diet-based glycemic load and cognitive aging among dementia-free older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2015 Apr;70(4):471-9. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glu135. Epub 2014 Aug 22. PMID: 25149688; PMCID: PMC4447796.
Taylor MK, Sullivan DK, Swerdlow RH, Vidoni ED, Morris JK, Mahnken JD, Burns JM. A high-glycemic diet is associated with cerebral amyloid burden in cognitively normal older adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017 Dec;106(6):1463-1470. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.117.162263. Epub 2017 Oct 25. PMID: 29070566; PMCID: PMC5698843.
Taylor MK, Sullivan DK, Swerdlow RH, Vidoni ED, Morris JK, Mahnken JD, Burns JM. A high-glycemic diet is associated with cerebral amyloid burden in cognitively normal older adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017 Dec;106(6):1463-1470. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.117.162263. Epub 2017 Oct 25. PMID: 29070566; PMCID: PMC5698843.
M.E. Mortby et al., ‘High “normal” blood glucose is associated with decreased brain volume and cognitive performance in the 60s: the PATH through Life Study’, PLoS One (2013), vol 8
.
Yau PL, Castro MG, Tagani A, Tsui WH, Convit A. Obesity and metabolic syndrome and functional and structural brain impairments in adolescence. Pediatrics. 2012 Oct;130(4)
. doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-0324. Epub 2012 Sep 3. PMID: 22945407; PMCID: PMC3457620.
Lakhan, S.E., Kirchgessner, A. The emerging role of dietary fructose in obesity and cognitive decline. Nutr J 12, 114 (2013).
Loef M, Walach H. Fruit, vegetables and prevention of cognitive decline or dementia: a systematic review of cohort studies. J Nutr Health Aging. 2012 Jul;16(7):626-30. doi: 10.1007/s12603-012-0097-x. PMID: 22836704.

The food you eat feeds your brain but how can you consistently eat healthy even on the go, or when life is busy?

We know here at Food for the Brain that a low Glycemic Load diet is one of the 8 ways you can reduce your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s (and improve your Cognitive Function score – take the free validated online test here) – which is why we are creating our Recipe App so that you have access to lots of brain loving recipes.

But what can you eat when travelling, on the go or for an easy snack?

That is why we want to introduce you to FATT bars. As one of our supporting organisations, FATT provides a variety of good quality, sugar free, convenient and tasty snacks.

So if you are preparing for summer holidays, work trips or have a busy schedule then these might be the perfect way to nourish your brain!

Introducing FATT – Real Keto Snacks!

Feeding the brain is a no-brainer but picking the right foods can be hard.

At FATT we really love the brain and because we love the brain, we also love the gut.

Everything we pick must be right for both brain and gut which is why we really do love nuts and in particular almonds and macadamias. Nuts are smart as they are rich in protein, B vitamins and vitamin E but are also a good source of potassium, selenium, magnesium, zinc and copper.

Macadamias are also rich in omega 3 to help balance any omega 6 in your diet.

We then add in the inulin and chicory fibre for a prebiotic kick to feed your healthy gut bio.

Whether you are eating a cookie or a brownie, a bar or a bite, you can be sure that you are getting food for the brain and gut without compromise. At FATT we do not use any sweeteners (artificial or otherwise) that might interfere with your gut and your brain or even fool your body into thinking it is digesting sugar.

We allow the natural sweetness of nuts or butter or chicory to give you a gentle sweet taste knowing that your body will not have any blood sugar spike or any insulin release.

Try our unique range of healthy low carb but indulgent snacks at a special discount and we will also make a further charitable contribution to Food for the Brain and its amazing work.

You can pick from Almond + Vanilla Keto Cookie, Double Chocolate Keto Brownie, Caramel + Sea Salt Keto Bar, Chocolate + Mint Bites and MORE!

Go and order your first box or single bars at www.livefatt.com and use the unique code FFTB10 to get a special Food for the Brain charity discount.

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Thank you for reading!

Food for the Brain is a non-for-profit educational and research charity that offers a free Cognitive Function Test and assesses your Dementia Risk Index to be able to advise you on how to dementia-proof your diet and lifestyle.

By completing the Cognitive Function Test you are joining our grassroots research initiative to find out what really works for preventing cognitive decline. We share our ongoing research results with you to help you make brain-friendly choices.

Please support our research by becoming a Friend of Food for the Brain.