40% of dementia is preventable by altering 12 lifestyle and environmental risk factors according to world-leading dementia experts. These factors include, hearing loss, hypertension and obesity; and smoking, depression, social isolation, physical inactivity. A key ingredient for brain health is your diet. There are specific brain foods that boost your cognitive health and there are also foods that you should avoid. It’s never too late to start being mindful of what you eat.

Here are five types of foods that negatively impact brain function:

Sugary drinks. Sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and even fruit juice are high in sugar. Excessive amounts of sugar can lead to Type 2 Diabetes, which is known to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.

Fried food. French fries, fried chicken, and other various deep-fried treats lack nutritional value and are known to cause high cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that adults with high cholesterol have more amyloid plaques in their brain, an indicator of Alzheimer’s, than people with normal cholesterol levels.

Aspartame. Found in Splenda, diet drinks, and sugar-free candies, aspartame has been linked to many serious health issues. A chemical found in aspartame, methyl ester, metabolizes into methanol. A two-part study linked chronic methanol exposure with memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease.

Excessive alcohol. Although consuming a glass of red wine is known to have health benefits, excessive drinking can be toxic to your brain. Too much alcohol negatively impacts your hippocampus, located deep within your temporal lobe where memory happens.

Processed meats. As popular as charcuterie boards are becoming, you may want to consider the effects of consuming these processed meats. A study was done that links each additional 25 grams per day of processed meats to an increased risk of dementia.