A study by researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia showed that a healthy diet mixed with unhealthy foods not only leads to weight gain but also negatively impacts brain function and gut health. Study published magazine Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.
The authors conducted three experiments with rats. In each of these, a control group of 12 mice was fed a standard mouse diet, while the other three groups of 12 mice were fed a processed diet high in fat and sugar, either always or occasionally.
Before and after periods of cyclical dieting, the researchers tested the mice’s short-term memory and measured the microbiota in their feces. They were also weighed before and after the experiment.
Mice that ate mostly healthy foods but occasionally ate foods high in sugar and saturated fats showed significant cognitive impairment and negative changes in gut bacteria, particularly in spatial memory tests.
The gut microbiome was less diverse and the “bad” microbiota predominated. These changes were exacerbated by longer exposure to an unhealthy diet. Over time, the cognitive impairment also became more severe: mice fed unhealthy food for several days performed worse on memory tests that required memorizing the location of objects.
The results of the study only emphasize the importance of maintaining a proper diet, the authors of the study are sure of.