Recent studies have shown that kids who drink a lot of sugary beverages are more likely to struggle with memory loss issues when they get older. A report on Mail Online said that recently American researchers gave young rats sugary drinks, and when they turned into adult ruts, they were put through two memory tests to see how they’d perform.
The study resulted in the discovery of the hippocampus. This is a part of the brain that’s key to memory function. Mice that had been fed had a damaged hippocampus which, in turn, resulted in memory loss issues.
Children’s Health and Sugary Drinks
Besides memory loss issues, there several other dangerous effects sugary beverages can have on children. According to a Better Health article that was recently published, the Australian Dietary Guidelines aren’t recommending people to take sugary drinks such as vitamin-style waters, sports and energy drinks, fruit drinks, and soft drinks.
Vegetable and fruit juices contain the natural sugars found in fresh fruits and vegetables. However, they become twice as concentrated when they’re turned into juices. Also, according to the article in Better Health, kids don’t need any fruit or vegetable juice to have a healthy and balanced diet.
Encouraging children to eat whole fruit and vegetable and drink milk and plain water instead of processed juices is the best way to teach them great eating habits at an early age.
Link Between Memory Impairments and Sugar Consumption
Dr. Scott Kanoski, the study’s co-author from the University of South Carolina, said that they were surprised that he and the team could duplicate memory loss impairments associated with sugar consumption. They achieved this by enriching one of the gut’s microbial population and not by transferring the whole microbiome.
The authors of the study then looked at the gene makeup of the brains in the rats and then found that they differed when the rats had been fed sugary drinks.
