It doesn’t matter if you eat them fried, scrambled or poached, eggs could slash your risk of developing dementia by almost a third.
That’s according to a study of almost 40,000 adults over the age of 65 that found those who ate eggs more frequently were less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
In comparison to never eating eggs, eating one a day for at least five days a week could cut the risk of developing the degenerative brain disease by up to 27 per cent, the research suggested.
Even eating eggs just one to three times a month was found to decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s by 17 per cent, and eating two to four a week decreased the risk by 20 per cent.
There are currently estimated to be 982,000 people with dementia in the UK and Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause.
While no diet can cure or reverse dementia, eating a healthy, balanced diet can reduce risk factors, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, that are linked to dementia.
But eggs in particular contain nutrients that scientists believe can boost brain health.
Joan Sabaté, a professor at Loma Linda University School of Public Health who conducted the study, explained eggs provide choline, a precursor to acetylcholine – a chemical messenger that helps nerve cells pass signals to one another- which is critical for memory and learning.
Eggs also contain lutein and zeaxanthin. These are yellow and orange pigments found in foods such as spinach and sweetcorn, called carotenoids, that accumulate in the brain tissue and are associated with improved cognitive performance and reduced oxidative stress.
They are also thought to be good for the brain because they contain omega-3 fatty acids, a kind of fat found in cell membranes, thought to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain – both of which may contribute towards the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, used data from the “Adventist Health Study-2”, which followed a large group of Seventh-day Adventists in the United States.
Over the 15 years researchers followed the 39,498 participants 2,858 were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
“Research supports eggs as part of a healthy diet,” said Jisoo Oh, an associate professor of epidemiology at Loma Linda University School of Public Health and the study’s lead author.
“Seventh-day Adventists do eat a healthier diet than the general public, and we want people to focus on overall health along with this knowledge about the benefit of eggs.”
The observational study was peer-reviewed and partly funded by the American Egg Board – which was created in 1976 to promote the country’s egg industry.