Drinking milk and eating eggs for breakfast can prevent you from becoming stupid! China Health and Nutrition Survey

During the epidemic, Zhang Wenhong, director of the infectious department of Shanghai Huashan Hospital, said that people were not allowed to eat porridge in the morning, and protein was the most critical food to resist the virus. They had to drink enough milk, eat enough eggs, and eat a steak every now and then.

A recent new analysis based on the China Health and Nutrition Survey seems to confirm this claim.

The study suggests that for older people, eating more protein and fat and less carbohydrates for breakfast can help prevent or delay cognitive decline.

The study conducted cognitive function tests on 2,935 residents aged 55 to 39 in 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, and 2015.

Breakfast accounts for 25.9% of the total calories consumed each day, while the calories from protein, fat and carbohydrates in breakfast account for 12.8%, 11.5% and 75.7% respectively.

During a median follow-up of nine years, residents whose breakfasts contained the most protein and fat had better overall cognitive function.

When 5% of carbohydrate calories were replaced with an equal amount of protein or fat, overall cognitive function improved.

The analysis showed that total calories consumed at breakfast were not associated with overall cognitive function.

The researchers also found that for urban residents, eating more fat and less carbohydrates for breakfast has a more significant preventive effect on cognitive decline.

The Chinese Guidelines for Healthy Lifestyle to Prevent Cardiometabolic Diseases emphasizes a balanced diet and recommends the following protein intake from various sources:

Eat 300-525 g of fish per week (cooked or steamed is best);

Eat 3 to 6 eggs per week, and be careful not to take too much dietary cholesterol;

Consume 25 g of soybeans per day (equivalent to 125 g of southern tofu or 50 g of tofu shreds);

Eat a moderate amount of nuts, 50-70 g per week;

Drink 150-300 g of liquid milk every day (common bagged milk is 180 ml; boxed milk is 250 ml);

Intake of livestock and poultry should be 40-75 g per day, and intake of red meat (such as pork, beef, and mutton) should not be too much.

source:

[1] Energy and macronutrient intakes at breakfast and cognitive declines in community-dwelling older adults: a 9-year follow-up cohort study. Am J Clin Nutr, 2021 Mar 1

[2] Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, Chinese Preventive Medicine Association Heart Disease Prevention and Control Committee, Chinese Medical Association Diabetes Branch, etc. Chinese Guidelines for Healthy Lifestyle to Prevent Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases. Chinese Journal of Circulation, 2020, 35: 209-230. DOI:10.3969/j.issn.1000-3614.2020.03.001

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