DO YOU you love cheese? This is why eating a sandwich filled with the dairy goodness could help minimise the risk of dementia.

Many of us will know someone who has been affected by the health condition, which is a group of related symptoms associated with the decline of brain functioning, reports the NHS.

This includes not only memory loss, but can also affect the way you speak, think, feel and behave.

The NHS says: “Research shows there are more than 944,000 people in the UK who have dementia. 1 in 11 people over the age of 65 have dementia in the UK.”

However, the number of people with dementia is increasing because people are living longer.

Due to this, there are many tips and tricks people add to their lifestyle to help lower the risk of dementia.

This can be anything from eating certain food to exercise routines, but one study has found that this popular sandwich filler could help reduce your chances of being diagnosed.

Cheese sandwiches could lower your risk of dementia – but why?

Scientists in Japan discovered that people who often ate cheese sandwiches “performed better on intellectual tests”, with results suggesting they were “less likely” to develop dementia.

The Sun explained: “The health, physical activity and eating habits of 1,516 participants over-65s were monitored by a team of scientists in Tokyo, Japan.”

Information such as their diets, history of falls, chronic conditions, muscle mass, body fat, blood pressure, calf size, grip strength, walking speed, cholesterol and mental status were analysed.

Overall, around 80% of people who took part in the study consumed cheese - this was either daily (28%), once every two days (24%), or twice a week (30%).

“The processed kind was the most popular option, followed by white mould cheese (such as brie and camembert), fresh cheese (like feta, mascarpone and ricotta), and blue mould cheese (including Stilton and Gorgonzola),” added The Sun.

South Wales Argus: What's your favourite kind of cheese to eat?What's your favourite kind of cheese to eat? (Image: Getty)

At Tesco, Creamfields French Brie (200G) is currently priced at £1.69 and is an Aldi price match.

Cheese-eaters scored above average on cognitive tests in dementia study

Participants also had to answer 30 questions which examined their cognitive ability, known as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).

This involved a variety of skills such as memory, language, orientation, attention and visual-spatial.

A score of 23 or below was considered the mark for poor cognitive function but the experts discovered those who incorporated cheese in their diets scored 28 on average.

The findings were published in the journal Nutrients, with the authors commenting: "Previous studies have shown that a dietary pattern characterised by a high intake of soybean products, vegetables, seaweed, milk, and dairy products, together with a low intake of grain products, is associated with reduced risk of developing dementia.

"Moreover, a high intake of milk and dairy products reduces the risk of developing dementia, especially Alzheimer’s dementia.

"[Our] results suggest that cheese intake is inversely associated with lower cognitive function even after adjusting for multiple confounding factors."

Those who added cheese to their diets also had slightly lower blood pressure and BMIs as well as a faster walking speed.

It’s not all good news though as the cheese-eaters did have higher cholesterol and blood sugar.

The Sun went on to say: “The non-cheese group had a slower usual walking speed, fewer teeth, smaller calves, and a higher prevalence of urinary incontinence and anaemia.”