MIND Diet: The Diet That Combats Dementia and Brain Health Decline
By Eve Crabtree
What is the MIND Diet?
The MIND diet was developed by a team of researchers from Rush University, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, and the National Institute on Aging in 2015 after conducting a 3 year long study.
The study was focused on combining Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) (1) and the Mediterranean diet to create a new diet specifically targeted at preventing dementia and brain health decline.
Elements of DASH and the Mediterranean diet were combined to create the MIND diet, which stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. The reason DASH and the Mediterranean diet were chosen is because several scientific studies have proven that both these diets can reduce the chance of heart disease, strokes and diabetes (2, 3). Over 600 people of all ages, backgrounds and body types took part in the three year study.
Why Was The Mind Diet Created?
The main aim of the MIND diet is to encourage individuals to consume a variety of berries, vegetables, whole grains, olive oils, nuts, fish, beans, poultry and wine. This is because all the above mentioned foods contain nutrients that significantly benefit brain function, reduce oxidative stress and inflammation (4, 5).
Initial research has demonstrated that the diet is linked to slower loss of brain function and less chance of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s (6, 7). However, more research will be required to highlight the full benefit of following the diet.
What Does The MIND Diet Involve?
There are currently no set guidelines in place for following the MIND diet – the aim is to simply include 10 main foods in your diet and cut back on others. The foods you should be including in your diet regularly (according to the MIND diet) are:
- Green leafy vegetables: You should try to eat at least 6 servings of green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach and cooked greens each week.
- Other vegetables: Along with the leafy greens, try to incorporate other non-starchy vegetables at least once per day.
- Nuts: You should be aiming to eat a minimum of 5 servings of nuts each week.
- Berries: Try to consume 3 servings of berries each week, whether that is strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or any others that you particularly enjoy.
- Olive Oil: Instead of using coconut, vegetable or sunflower oils when cooking, use olive oil.
- Poultry: At least twice a week, you should try to eat lean chicken or turkey that’s been cooked in a healthy way.
- Fish: Oily fish like tuna, salmon, sardines and mackerel have high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids and should therefore be eaten once per week.
- Beans: Bulk out some of your meals with a variety of beans 4 times each week. This includes things such as lentils and soybeans.
- Whole grains: Grains such as oatmeal, quinoa, whole-wheat bread and brown rice should be enjoyed 3 times daily.
- Wine: Although both red and white wine have been proven to have health benefits, most researchers suggest drinking 1 glass of red wine per day. This is because it contains a compound called resveratrol that has shown to protect against Alzheimer’s (8, 9).
There are also 5 main foods you should limit in order to combat dementia and brain health decline (10, 11). These include:
- Fried food: Limit your fried food consumption, both home cooked and take out, to at once per week or less.
- Cheese: Similarly to fried food, it’s also encouraged to limit your cheese intake to 1 portion or less each week.
- Butter and margarine: Try to avoid eating butter or margarine more than once per week and limit the portion size o 14 grams. Instead, use olive oil.
- Sweet treats: Having some saturated fat in your diet is healthy, however, you should try to avoid eating sweet treats – cakes, biscuits, chocolate, crisps – more than 4 times a week.
- Red meat: Beef, pork and lamb are all red meats and should be limited to no more than 3 servings each week. Try instead to swap them for chicken and oily fish.
If you’re struggling to meet the recommended servings each week whilst following the MIND diet, be aware that even following the diet loosely can have a positive impact on your mental health and general well-being.
So, whether you’re a younger individual who’s just trying to live a more balanced life and fill your body with goodness, or whether you’re an older individual that’s actively doing what you can to combat age-related brain health decline, the MIND diet could be just what you’ve been searching for.
Author’s Bio
Eve Crabtree works on behalf of a company called Go Go Fruit Basket who specialise in supplying fruit and sweet treat baskets for any occasion – a healthier alternative to traditional gift baskets. Because of her passion for healthy food, she keeps up to date with the latest breakthroughs in the health and well being industry and regularly tests her hand at healthy baking recipes during her spare time.
About The Author
