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Chances are you already know eggs are good for you.
Rich in protein, Vitamin D, and other critical nutrients, eggs have gotten a thumbs up from the scientific community, aside from some concerns about cholesterol.
Now comes news of another win for Team Egg. A research team in Finland just published findings in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that phosphatidylcholine — commonly found in eggs — is associated with lower risk of dementia and better cognitive performance in men.
According to the study, the risk of dementia was 28% lower among men with the highest consumption of dietary phosphatidylcholine compared to men who consumed the least. They also scored higher on memory and linguistic tests.
Researchers looked at 2,497 dementia-free men who were between 42 and 60 years old when they participated in a Finnish medical trial from 1984 to 1989. The team analyzed 22 years of self-reported dietary habits as well as dementia and Alzheimer’s rates from national health registers.
Additionally, a subset of 482 men completed five cognitive performance tests over four years. The analysis took into account other factors, including genes associated with dementia.
Don’t care for eggs? Take heart. While the study found eggs to be the main source of phosphatidylcholine for subjects in the study, comprising about 39% of the nutrient, meats (especially fish and poultry) were a close second with about 37%.
In the U.S., some of the most popular choline-rich foods include liver, peanuts, dairy, pasta and rice, according to a study by Oregon State University.
