Tuck in to ward off dementia

EATING enough high-protein foods such as chicken, tuna, lentils and peanuts may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

People with higher levels of protein in their diet had lower levels of amyloid beta (Ab), a protein found clumped in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

Those who ate about 118g of protein a day were 12 times less likely to have high levels of Ab than those who ate only 54g a day, Australian researchers found.

“The more protein eaten, the lower the chances someone has of having a high Ab burden on the brain, which corresponds to a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s,” Dr Binosha Fernando of Edith Cowan University said.

Protein is found in animal products such as beef, pork, lamb, eggs, fish and poultry, as well as plant-based foods such as legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

Without a major medical breakthrough, the number of Australians expected to be diagnosed with dementia – including Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia – is expected to increase to 536,164 by 2025 and almost 1.1 million by 2056, according to Dementia Australia.