Fat Food Stimulates Our Brain!

Eating fattening foods triggers the formation of long-term memories of the pleasurable pastime. This is because oleic acids from fat are transferred into a compound in the intestine known as OEA, which triggers 'memory consolidation.' It does this by turning superficial short-term memories into meaningful long-term ones. As a result the experience of eating a satisfying rich meal sticks in the mind.

Scientists said fattening foods are rare in nature. Researcher Dr Daniele Piomelli, from the University of California said: 'Remembering the location and context of a fatty meal was probably an important survival mechanism for early humans. It makes sense that mammals have this capability.'
But in today's world, with its abundance of high-calorie foods, it could encourage over-eating and obesity, say the scientists. Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: 'This is fascinating research and advances our understanding of the impact that diet can have on brain activity. 'When thinking about what constitutes a healthy diet, usually what's good for the heart is also good for the head. 'While this research suggests that fatty foods could help in the formation of longer term memories, a healthy balanced diet is still the best advice for reducing the risk of developing dementia. 'Better understanding of how memories are formed could lead to new treatments that help the brain when it becomes affected by Alzheimer's.
The findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Source: http://www.uci.edu/