New research shows that eating curry once or twice a week could help prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The key reason is curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric.
Curcumin prevents the spread of amyloid protein plaques, which are thought to cause dementia. Amyloid plaques, along with tangles of nerve fibers, contribute to the degradation of the wiring in brain cells.
There is evidence that people who eat a curry meal two or three times a week have a lower risk of dementia. Researchers are currently testing the impact of higher doses, such as the equivalent of going on a curry spree for a week, to see if they can maximize the effect.