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TheDigger Intelligence Unit
A Simple Habit with Lasting Benefits
Eating an egg each morning might do more than boost your energy. It could also help your brain.
A recent study from Loma Linda University Health found that older adults who often ate eggs had a much lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
The research showed that eating eggs daily or almost every day was linked to up to a 27 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s.
How the Research Was Conducted
The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, followed almost 40,000 people in the Adventist Health Study-2 for over 15 years, using Medicare records to track Alzheimer’s cases.
The results showed that people who ate eggs more often had a lower risk of Alzheimer’s.
Those who ate at least one egg almost every day saw the greatest benefit, but even people who ate eggs just 1 to 3 times a month had a noticeable reduction in risk.
Dr Joan Sabaté, the lead researcher, said that eating eggs two to four times a week was linked to about a 20 per cent lower risk.
Key Nutrients in Eggs That Support Brain Health
Eggs are packed with nutrients that may help explain why they are linked to brain health. Choline in eggs is needed to make acetylcholine, a chemical that helps with memory and brain cell communication.
Carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin build up in brain tissue and have been connected to better thinking skills and less stress on brain cells.
Egg yolks also have omega-3 fatty acids and phospholipids, which are important for healthy brain function. Other nutrients in eggs, such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, selenium, iodine, and several B vitamins, also help keep nerves and the brain healthy.
Additional Research Supporting the Benefits
Other studies also suggest that eggs can be good for brain health. Some reports show that people who eat eggs may have less buildup of harmful proteins in the brain, like amyloid plaques and tau tangles, which are both signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Even eating eggs just a few times a week was linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s in other studies. Experts, including Dr Vikas Bhutani of Fortis Mohali, point out that while moderate egg consumption seems to help with thinking skills and may lower dementia risk, this evidence shows a link but does not prove that eggs directly prevent these problems.
Eggs as Part of Balanced Diet
Researchers stress that eggs should be included as just one part of a healthy, balanced diet, not seen as a cure-all. Dr Jisoo Oh, an associate professor of epidemiology at Loma Linda University, explains that eggs can fit into a nutritious eating plan, but it is important to focus on your overall diet for the best health results.
Dining eggs in your diet—even occasionally—may help lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Although further studies are needed to establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship, the available evidence suggests that eggs are an easy, accessible way to support brain health as part of a varied diet.
