Six Foods to Avoid for Brain Health

Did you know the foods you eat every day can either protect your brain—or slowly damage it? In a previous video called “Top Ten Foods that Boost Your Brain,” we learned the best foods to eat that protect and nourish your brain. It will be referenced below. It’s amazing how many of the most nourishing foods for our brain come from the plants God created in Genesis 1:29. It’s also interesting that many of these same foods also benefit our heart and prevent cancer. God certainly knew what He was doing.

Here are six foods to avoid for brain health:

Ultra-Processed Foods

Processed food is any food altered from its original state during preparation, ranging from minimal to complex industrial methods. It includes foods with added salt, sugar, or fats for preservation and flavor. While some processed foods are reasonably healthy, ultra-processed foods are highly processed and often contain additives such as emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, and preservatives, and they are linked to higher calories and lower nutrients.

One of the best examples I can give you is white flour. Although white flour is a processed food that’s been around for about 100 years, it has many problems associated with its processing. White flour is highly refined and stripped of fiber and nutrients when the bran and germ are removed. Consuming it then causes blood sugar spikes, insulin surges, and increased hunger, which can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Both heart disease and type 2 diabetes have an impact on the brain. The white flour is then enriched with synthetic vitamins and junk gluten. God created wheat to nourish our bodies and brains, but after this ultra-processing, it is now an irritant to many people’s guts causing sensitivity to gluten and a reaction which promotes inflammation in the body. I did a video on this called “Why I Now Freshly Mill My Whole Grains.” It will also be referenced below.

Other foods which fall into this category are fast foods such as packaged cereals, sugary sweets, frozen meals, and packaged snacks such as potato chips. Research indicates that ultra-processed foods are strongly linked to accelerated cognitive decline, increased dementia, and higher rates of stroke. These are usually high-calorie foods with little nutritional value. High intake of refined carbs is linked to obesity, increased belly fat, and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and inflammation in the body. None of this is good for the brain.

Sugary Foods and Drinks

These foods dance around us all day long from sodas and Frappuccino’s at Starbucks to cakes, cookies, and pies. And that does not even count the hidden added sugars that many foods contain. Sugar consumption continues to increase in our country. We are a sugar-addicted society. And no one loved sugar more than this junk food queen. According to the FDA, the average American consumes 130 pounds of sugar per person per year when six to nine teaspoons a day or 22 to 32 pounds in a year is the maximum recommended by the both the American Heart Association and many neurologists to protect our hearts and brains.

The reason is that high blood insulin levels are highly correlated to Alzheimer’s disease. As a matter of fact, there is a type of Alzheimer’s disease called Type 3 diabetes caused by insulin resistance and impaired insulin signaling within the brain. With my dad’s love for sugar, I do wonder if he had this type of Alzheimer’s disease even though it was not being diagnosed when he was alive. Researchers at Harvard found that improved blood sugar levels contribute to better brain health.

Here me clearly, constant blood sugar spikes are not good for the brain or any part of the body. Did you know that a 16-ounce Starbucks Grande Vanilla Frappuccino contains 17 teaspoons of sugar, and a can of Coke contains 10 teaspoons of sugar. Something to think about because just drinking one of these exceeds the American Heart Association’s recommended guidelines.

Processed Meats

Eating too much processed meat may harm the brain. In a study published in the journal Neurology, Dr. Daniel Wang, an assistant professor of medicine at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and his team report that people who eat more processed red meat had a 14% higher risk of developing dementia over more than four decades than those who consumed minimal amounts.

Dr. Wang believes the reason is because processed meat is high in saturated fat and sodium. Both of these increase the risk of diabetes and heart conditions by raising blood pressure, which can harm the brain. Another theory is that the nitrates found in red processed meats may damage DNA thereby injuring brain cells.

Processed meats are bacon, hotdogs, and deli meats.

Fried Foods

Frequent consumption of fried foods is strongly associated with a higher risk of anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline, driven by chronic inflammation and neuroinflammation. Deep-frying, particularly with reused oil, produces compounds like acrylamide that cross the blood-brain barrier, triggering oxidative stress, brain metabolism disturbances, and neurodegeneration. Yes, this acrylamide acts as a neurotoxin that induces inflammation in the brain. Toxins from fried foods can also alter gut bacteria, causing inflammation that spreads to the brain.

And this won’t surprise you–French fries is the number one side or vegetable ordered at restaurants. It bothers me when I’m eating out and the only side offered is French fries. And most children’s menus offer fried chicken fingers and French fries. I appreciate the restaurants or chains that offer fresh fruit or coleslaw as another option. We’re not helping our brains or our health here folks.

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners and artificially sweetened soft drinks were linked in a 2017 study with an increased risk of stroke, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. You are hearing this from the gal who used to drink 4-5 Tabs with lime each day. This drink would be similar to a Diet Coke today. I always thought that artificial sweeteners were a healthy alternative, but not so. Don’t get me started on why no one should be drinking any soft drink at all. These are simply chemicals drinks. The benefits of water never looked so good.

Another more recent study suggests a link between high consumption of artificial sweeteners and accelerated cognitive decline. The risk is particularly associated with sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose known as Splenda, potentially driven by neuroinflammation and gut microbiome changes.

As a result of this information, I now only use natural sweeteners such as Stevia and Monk Fruit.

Alcohol

In a 2018 study it was found that the risk of dementia was increased in people who consumed more than 14 units of alcohol a week. Excessive alcohol consumption is a known risk factor for dementia. The negative impact of heavy alcohol intake on the risk of dementia has been suggested to involve nutritional deficiency, the direct neurotoxic effects of ethanol, and the indirect negative impacts through increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, and stroke.

This should not surprise us because alcohol is a neurotoxin that damages, shrinks, and kills brain cells by disrupting neural communication and promoting inflammation and oxidative stress. The Bible does not forbid alcohol, but it warns against excess in Ephesians 5:18.

Every bite you take or every sip you drink is either nourishing your brain or fighting against it. Deuteronomy 30:19 says, “I have set before you life and death . . . now choose life.” We help to choose life and health of our brain by what we eat and drink. So as I’ve said many times before because the Bible said it first, “Whatever you eat or drink, do all for the glory of God.” And science agrees on this—that diet plays a role in preventing cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. You don’t have to change everything overnight. You can start small by cutting back on processed foods, reducing sugar intake, and choosing whole, nourishing foods.

I don’t know about you, but I want to take care of the brain God gave me. I certainly don’t want to go down the same road as my father. Alzheimer’s disease or any cognitive decline is painful for everyone involved. We must honor God by caring for our brain through wise choices. The motto of my ministry is “Family, faith, freedom, and lifestyle changes enable us to serve God.” When our brains can’t work as God intended, we can no longer serve God. I plan to serve him up until the day I die.

The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 to glorify God in our bodies because of our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. 3 John 1:2 says, “Dear friend, I pray that you are doing well in every way and that you are healthy, just as your soul is healthy.

And that’s my wish for each one of you. So let’s honor God by caring for our brains through wise choices.

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Six Foods to Avoid for Brain Health

Top Ten Brain Boosting Foods

For Your Health,

Ginny

Ginny Dent Brant is a speaker and writer who grew up in the halls of power in Washington, DC. She has battled cancer, ministered around the world, and served on the front lines of American culture as a counselor, educator, wellness advocate, and adjunct professor. Brant’s award-winning book, Finding True Freedom: From the White House to the World, was endorsed by Chuck Colson and featured in many TV and media interviews. Unleash Your God-Given Healing: Eight Steps to Prevent and Survive Cancer was released in May 2020 after her journey with cancer and was recently awarded the First Place Golden Scrolls Award for Memoirs, a finalist in Serious Writers Book of the Decade, and Second Place in both Selah Awards for Memoirs and Director’s Choice Award for Nonfiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. It recently received the Christian Authors Network’s (CAN) Gold Award for Excellence in Marketing for reaching 62.5 million people with a message of cancer prevention and survival. It was written with commentary from an oncologist and was featured on CBN’s Healthy Living Show, Atlanta Live, and CTN’s Homekeepers along with over 75 media outlets. Learn more and cancer and wellness prevention blog and book information at www.ginnybrant.com. Ginny is on YouTube