Fast food is at the top of the list of the unhealthiest foods. A study carried out by the University of New South Wales in Australia has proven yet another negative effect that this type of food inflicts - the negative influence on brain function.
During the research, rats were scrutinized extensively, being given only fast food to eat for one week. Inflammation of the hippocampus (a part of the brain linked to spatial memory) was seen in all of them. The memory of the rats fed with fat and sugar was also drastically impaired.
For the same period of time, a different group of rodents were subjected to a slightly healthier diet, but loaded with drinks containing a high sugar content. In them, a worsening of cognitive abilities was once again observed.
In addition, it was found that this process is irreversible. Even after changing over to a healthy food diet, the brains of the rats were unable to fully restore their former capabilities.
Scientists are positive that fast food has the same exact effect on humans. Up until recently, almost nothing was known about the negative influence of this type of food on the brain. Only the harms done to the body as a whole were known. The scary thing is that the destructive action of fast food happened very quickly.
Whenever a person eats fast food, this leads to certain types of problems. Unhealthy food changes certain chemicals in the brain, which leads to symptoms of depression and anxiety. These meals-on-the-go have an influence on the production of dopamine - an important chemical responsible for the feeling of happiness and a general sense of well-being.
Further, dopamine helps cognitive function, learning abilities, wakefulness, motivation and memory. And whenever we intake foods that get in the way of its production, these functions of it are also hindered.
Among the other foods that slowly kill the human brain are foods containing sugar, fried and processed foods, the many salty, baked goods, processed protein foods, those with trans fats, and foods with sweeteners.
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