Your Choice Of Afternoon Snack Could Increase Your Risk Of Dementia

While it’s important to be aware of the connection between sugar and dementia risk, all four experts emphasized that this doesn’t mean you have to cut sugar completely out of your life. Pascual-Leone shared that experiencing pleasure is important for mood and brain health, and eating foods we love (even if they’re void of nutritional benefits) is part of that. Instead of nixing sugary snacks completely, he recommends eating them in moderation and making it a point to savor the experience when you do have them.

To minimize the spike in blood sugar when you do have a sugary treat, Andrews recommends pairing it with something high in fiber or protein. “Consuming sugar alone is one of the main ways to cause a spike and drop (highs and lows) in your blood sugar, so pairing it with foods that help keep your blood glucose levels even keel will help,” she said.

Don’t wait until you’re hangry to get yourself a snack either. Tingh explained that when blood sugar levels drop (which happens when you haven’t eaten in a while), you’re more likely to reach for the fastest sugar, which is often in the form of something high in added sugars and low in nutritional value. “Having balanced meals and snacks makes it easier to choose wisely,” he said. 

Since blood sugar spikes are more dramatic in the latter half of the day and can interfere with sleep, if you are going to have a sugary snack, having it earlier in the day can minimize the impact on your brain.

Want some sweet snack ideas that brain health experts would approve of? Trinh and McGrane are both big dark chocolate fans. “Dark chocolate is rich in cocoa flavanols, which have been shown to support healthy blood flow in the brain and combat inflammation,” McGrane said.

Berries and nuts are another great zero-prep snack option that Trinh recommended. The berries are loaded with brain-supporting antioxidants and the fats and protein in the nuts provide satiety and minimize blood sugar level spikes. 

Here’s the biggest takeaway all four experts want people to know: Having a diet high in sugar increases the risk of dementia. This doesn’t mean you should avoid sugar completely. But it does mean you should watch your intake and, when you are enjoying something sugary, it helps to pair it with a food with fiber, protein or fats to blunt the blood sugar spike. When you do have something sugary, enjoy it! After all, that’s what it’s meant for.  

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.