A diet called the Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, or MIND diet, could be the key to reducing your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, according to recent research. With dementia being the leading cause of death in the UK, many are eager to find ways to prevent it without resorting to medication – and your diet could hold the answer.
The MIND diet is designed to promote the health of the ageing brain. According to harvard.edu, dementia ranks as the sixth leading cause of death in the US, while alzheimers.org.uk reveals that “in the last year dementia is once again listed as the leading cause of death” in England and Wales, based on 2022 statistics.
This has led to a surge in interest in methods “to prevent cognitive decline”, as stated in the study. The researchers further explain that “both the Mediterranean and DASH diets had already been associated with preservation of cognitive function, presumably through their protective effects against cardiovascular disease, which in turn preserved brain health.”
The study further explains: “The MIND diet contains foods rich in certain vitamins, carotenoids, and flavonoids that are believed to protect the brain by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. 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.”
The participants with the “highest MIND diet scores” which means that they had a higher intake of foods on the diet, had a significantly slower rate of cognitive decline compared with those with the lowest scores” showing that “the effects of the MIND diet on cognition showed greater effects than either the Mediterranean or the DASH diet alone.”
The diet is “partially based on the Mediterranean and DASH diets” and specifies that eating “brain healthy food” is the key as long as you also try and limit five foods. In fact, “researchers found a 53% lower rate of Alzheimer’s disease for those with the highest MIND diet scores” with people who had a “moderate” score showed a 35% lower rate compared with those with the lowest MIND scores.
“Several other large cohort studies have shown that participants with higher MIND diet scores, compared with those with the lowest scores, had better cognitive functioning, larger total brain volume, higher memory scores, lower risk of dementia, and slower cognitive decline, even when including participants with Alzheimer’s disease and history of stroke”, it adds.
So what does the MIND diet say I should – and should not – eat?
The healthy items the MIND diet guidelines suggest include:
- 3+ servings a day of whole grains
- 1+ servings a day of vegetables (other than green leafy
- 6+ servings a week of green leafy vegetables
- 5+ servings a week of nuts
- 4+ meals a week of beans
- 2+ servings a week of berries
- 2+ meals a week of poultry
- 1+ meals a week of fish
- Mainly olive oil if added fat is used
The unhealthy items, which are higher in saturated and trans fat, include:
- Less than 5 servings a week of pastries and sweets
- Less than 4 servings a week of red meat (including beef, pork, lamb, and products made from these meats)
- Less than one serving a week of cheese and fried foods
- Less than 1 tablespoon a day of butter/stick margarine
Sample MIND meal plan
There isn’t one diet that you need to stick to, but if you are looking for some inspiration, this sample meal plan is roughly 2000 calories, the recommended intake for an average person. If you have higher or lower calorie needs, you may add or remove a snack snack, says harvard.edu.
Breakfast
- 1 cup cooked steel-cut oats mixed with 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, ¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries, sprinkle of cinnamon
Snack
1 medium orange
Lunch
- Beans and rice – In medium pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add and sauté ½ chopped onion, 1 tsp cumin, and 1 tsp garlic powder until onion is softened. Mix in 1 cup canned beans, drained and rinsed. Serve bean mixture over 1 cup cooked brown rice.
- 2 cups salad (e.g., mixed greens, cucumbers, bell peppers) with dressing (mix together 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ tsp black pepper)
Snack
- ¼ cup unsalted mixed nuts
Dinner
- 3 ounces baked salmon brushed with same salad dressing used at lunch
- 1 cup chopped steamed cauliflower
- 1 whole grain roll dipped in 1 tbsp olive oil
