Men whose diet contained more choline, a nutrient found in a variety of foods, had a 28% lower risk of dementia than those with a comparably low intake, a Finnish investigation has found.
The men with choline-rich diets, identified from a large Finnish population health study, also excelled in tests measuring memory and linguistic abilities. Meat and eggs were their main dietary sources of the chemical.
Earlier studies have linked choline intake with cognitive processing, and adequate intake may play a role in the prevention of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease, according to the study’s authors.
Major contributors of choline in the American diet are eggs, meat, poultry, fish, dairy foods, pasta and rice. The recommended daily intake is 425 mg/day for women and 550 mg/day for men. Two hard-boiled eggs provide up to 300 mg of choline.
