Researchers after annalysing 42,853 people’s diet concludes ultra processed foods like cold breakfast cereal, cookies and hot dogs are more likely to develop early signs of Parkinson’s disease.
To jumpstart the day after a restful night, breakfast is considered crucial for fueling the body. However, according to a new study, consuming food items like cereal, cookies or hot dogs as part of your first meal could be dangerous for your health.
The study found that individuals who consume ultra-processed foods (UPFs) early in the morning are at high risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD) as compared to those who consume fewer UPFs.
What Is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s is a type of disease that causes the nerve cells, also known as neurons, in parts of the brain to weaken.
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), it is a progressive movement disorder of the nervous system that leads an individual to experience problems with movements, tremor, stiffness, and impaired balance.
And as the condition worsens, PD patients may have difficulty in talking, walking and even completing simple tasks.
The Findings
“Consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) has been associated with a higher risk of various chronic diseases, but its relation to prodromal Parkinson’s disease (PD) remains unclear,” the researchers explain.
Data published in Neurology reveals the findings after studying 42,853 participants, where “long-term UPF consumption” was linked to “nonmotor prodromal PD features”.
During the period of the case study, the participants underwent regular medical examinations and completed a health questionnaire, including maintaining a food diary every two to four years, listing what they ate and how often.
Parkinson’s And Ultra Processed Foods
To understand the association between diet and parkinson’s disease, researchers analysed signs for prodromal Parkinson’s disease, which is the first stage of when neurodegeneration begins.
“Eating a healthy diet is crucial as it has been associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases and the dietary choices we make today can significantly influence our brain health in the future,” said study author Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, of the Institute of Nutrition, Fudan University in Shanghai, China.
“There’s growing evidence that diet might influence the development of Parkinson’s disease. Our research shows that eating too much processed food, like sugary sodas and packaged snacks, might be speeding up early signs of Parkinson’s disease.”
Talking about the best strategy to maintain brain health, Gao advises, “Choosing to eat fewer processed foods and more whole, nutritious foods could be a good strategy for maintaining brain health. More studies are needed to confirm our finding that eating less processed food may slow down the earliest signs of Parkinson’s disease.”
Best Diet For Parkinson’s Disease
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the best diet for an individual who takes medication in the morning is to consume oatmeal rather than high-protein eggs for breakfast.
And save the protein intake for later in the day, as the drug used for PD is absorbed in your small intestine, which could be disrupted if you consume medication shortly after a high-protein breakfast like eggs, pork, beef, chicken, cottage cheese, yoghurt, nuts, lentils, seeds, fish, beans, milk, etc.
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