According to a recent study published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology and titled “Here’s What Happens To Your Brain When You Eat Fried Eggs“, a diet high in saturated fat can lead to impaired cognitive function, including dulling the dopamine reward system, while increasing reliance on high-fat foods.
The researchers worked with three groups of rats. The first group was put on a low-fat diet containing equal amounts of monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids. The second group received a diet high in monounsaturated fat where 50% of the calories came from olive oil. Finally, the third group received a diet high in saturated fat where 50% of the calories came from palm oil.
Rats fed the latter diet had dopamine (a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in communication between certain neurons) function significantly attenuated. In other words, the more palm oil-enriched foods they consumed, the more they needed to consume to achieve the same level of satisfaction.
According to the team of researchers from the University of Montreal, who led this study, it is not surprising that what we eat has a profound impact on brain function. Their study shows that, regardless of weight gain and risk of cardiovascular disease, a high-fat diet can cause impairments in the functioning of brain circuits deeply implicated in mood disorders, substance abuse and overeating.
“Consumed reasonably, fatty acids do not represent a danger but they should represent a small percentage of our diet” they explain.
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