The MIND diet is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, designed to reduce cognitive decline and dementia occurrence. It emphasizes plant-based foods and limits the intake of animal and high saturated fat foods. The MIND diet recommends specific “brain healthy” foods to include, and five unhealthy food items to limit. Here are some details about the MIND diet:
Healthy Foods to Include:
- Green leafy vegetables
- Other vegetables
- Nuts
- Berries (especially blueberries and strawberries)
- Beans
- Whole grains
- Fish
- Poultry
- Olive oil
- Red wine
Unhealthy Foods to Limit:
- Red meats
- Butter and stick margarine
- Cheese
- Pastries and sweets
- Fried or fast food
The diet encourages consuming vegetables, berries, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, fish, beans, poultry, and wine. These foods contain many nutrients that are believed to protect the brain by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. The antioxidants in berries and the vitamin E in olive oil, green leafy vegetables, and nuts are thought to benefit brain function by protecting the brain from oxidative stress. The MIND diet also discourages fried food, especially the kind from fast-food restaurants, and processed snack foods and desserts.
The MIND diet is very new, having been introduced in 2015. The current research on the MIND diet has not been able to determine exactly how the diet works, but scientists think it may work by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. The effects of the MIND diet on cognition showed greater effects than either the Mediterranean or the DASH diet alone. Although the aim of the MIND diet is on brain health, it may also benefit heart health, diabetes, and certain cancers because it includes components of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, which have been shown to lower the risk of these diseases.
