Your Brain On Your Brain On... Cheese
Jan 14, 2026
In this insightful discussion, nutrition researcher Emily Sonestedt shares her expertise on dairy consumption and its surprising links to dementia. She delves into the recent viral cheese study, clarifying that while high-fat cheese may be associated with a slight decrease in dementia risk, the findings are far from definitive. Emily explains why singular studies can mislead, the importance of critical thinking in nutrition science, and how to interpret food-related health claims. Listeners will understand the real impact of dietary choices without falling for clickbait nutrition headlines.
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One Food Doesn't Tell The Whole Story
- Single-food headlines oversimplify nutrition because we eat complex, interacting diets.
- Dean Sherzai says science is patterns, not sudden discoveries in slow fields like nutrition.
Study Design And Main Finding
- The Malmo cohort followed 27,670 people with one baseline diet survey and 25-year follow-up.
- The study found high-fat cheese and cream associated with modestly lower dementia risk.
Association Depends On Participant Health
- The cheese association weakened or disappeared after excluding people with cardiovascular disease or early dementia.
- Ayesha Sherzai says this suggests a healthy-user bias rather than an independent protective effect.