Cutting back on red meat could offer multiple health benefits, from protecting your heart to supporting your brain, a new study suggests.
The research, published Wednesday in Neurology, found that individuals who consumed a quarter of a serving or more of processed red meats—like bacon, bologna, and hot dogs—were 13% more likely to develop dementia compared to those who ate less than one-tenth of a serving per day.
A typical serving of red meat is about 3 ounces, equivalent to two slices of bacon, 1.5 slices of bologna, or one hot dog, according to the study.
The study also discovered that eating an additional daily serving of processed red meat was linked to a 1.6-year acceleration in brain aging.
While the study’s observational design means researchers cannot definitively say that processed red meats cause dementia, the association is clear. One of the study’s authors, Dr. Daniel Wang, an assistant professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, emphasized the need for further research.
“Large, long-term studies are crucial to understanding conditions like dementia, which develop over decades,” Wang said. “We are continuing to explore the mechanisms behind dementia and cognitive decline.”
Though the link between red meat and cognitive health hasn’t been thoroughly studied, other research has shown connections between red meat consumption and various health issues, such as heart disease, cancer, and premature death, according to Dr. Mingyang Song, an expert in epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard. Song was not involved in the current study.
“Processed red meat is of particular concern due to its high salt content, heme iron, and harmful additives used in processing,” Song explained. “Additionally, the inflammation and metabolic issues linked to red meat consumption may play a role in cognitive decline.”
The study analyzed data from over 133,000 people, averaging 49 years old, from the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Health information, including participants’ diets, was tracked over several decades, with updates every two to four years. More than 11,000 participants were diagnosed with dementia over a 43-year period.
There are several theories as to why red meat might impact brain health. Red meat is high in saturated fat and contains an organic compound associated with cardiovascular diseases, both of which could harm the nervous system and accelerate cognitive decline, Song explained.
Processed red meat also contains higher levels of substances like nitrites, N-nitroso compounds, and sodium, all of which could contribute to brain aging, said the study’s lead author, Yuhan Li, a researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Nitrites, used in curing meats, have been linked to various health problems, and N-nitroso compounds, also found in cured meats, have been associated with cancer.
This research highlights the impact of diet on brain health, Wang noted. “Dietary guidelines often focus on preventing conditions like heart disease and diabetes, but cognitive health is less frequently discussed, even though it’s closely linked to these diseases,” he said. “We hope our findings encourage more attention to the connection between diet and brain health.”
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