Eating More of This Dairy Product May Reduce Your Risk of Dementia
Dairy products don't typically come to mind when you think about eating healthy, especially the full-fat kind. For years, we've been told to reach for low-fat cheese and skim milk to cut down on fat. But a new study is flipping the script, suggesting high-fat dairy might actually be good for your brain.
What the research found
Researchers found that people who consumed over 50 grams of cheese (about 1/2 a cup of shredded cheese) with over 20% fat content per day had a 13% lower risk of all-cause dementia and a 29% lower risk of vascular dementia, as compared to those who ate less than 15 grams daily.
People who ate over 20 grams of cream per day with over 30% fat content had a 16% lower risk of all-cause dementia, compared to those who consumed no cream. This amounts to about 1.5 tablespoons, which can be incorporated into a sauce or splashed into your morning coffee.
Low-fat dairy products—including low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, milk, and butter—showed no correlation with dementia risk at all. This means low-fat dairy products showed no impact on dementia risk in this study.
How the study measured diet
Researchers didn't learn these stats through a quick food survey. They evaluated participants at baseline between 1991 and 1996, then followed up through December 2020—with dementia cases identified through Sweden's National Patient Register. Over the median 25-year follow-up, 3,208 participants developed dementia, giving researchers substantial data to work with.
To ensure a comprehensive understanding of participants' diets, researchers used a combination of three methods. All participants were asked to complete a 7-day food diary, a detailed food frequency questionnaire, and a dietary interview at baseline, giving researchers an idea of how much each participant consumed dairy throughout the study.
Editor's note
The genetics factor
The study also uncovered an interesting genetic component. Among people who don't carry the APOE ε4 gene variant (a known risk factor for Alzheimer's), high-fat cheese consumption was associated with a 13% lower risk of Alzheimer's disease specifically.
This suggests that genetics may play a role in how dairy affects brain health, though more research is needed to understand exactly why.
What this means for you
Before you start adding extra cheese to everything, a few important caveats: This is observational research, meaning it shows an association, not proof that high-fat dairy directly prevents dementia. The researchers themselves note that the study's design "limits causal inference."
That said, if you've been avoiding full-fat dairy out of fear it's "bad" for you, this research offers some reassurance. High-fat cheese and cream can absolutely be part of a brain-healthy eating pattern.
Eating high-fat dairy isn't the only way to shift your lifestyle to protect against cognitive decline. If cheese isn't your jam, try incorporating some of these habits into your routine:
- Eat brain-supporting foods like omega-3 rich fatty fish, antioxidant rich vegetables, extra-virgin olive oil and fermented foods.
- Challenge your brain with crosswords and number puzzles like sudoku.
- Connect with and help others to maintain a sense of purpose.
- Get your blood-pumping by taking the stairs.
The takeaway
This study adds to a growing body of research suggesting that not all fats are created equal and that full-fat dairy may have benefits we're only beginning to understand. Rather than defaulting to low-fat options, consider enjoying quality full-fat cheese and cream as part of an overall balanced diet.
