01 October 2023 , 15:55
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A "brain-boosting" diet can potentially ward off dementia and limit a decline in cognitive functions, according to leading academics.
Researchers at Rush University in Chicago first identified the MIND diet in 2015 as a way of helping limit dementia through a combination of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet. The Mediterranean diet stresses the importance of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fish. Meanwhile, the DASH diet tries to limit people's daily salt intake. Academics developed a MIND diet score based on foods that might protect against dementia. Those with the highest score had the slowest rate of cognitive decline.
Dr Martha Clare Morris, along with researchers at Rush University Medical Centre and the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, tracked a group of more than 1,000 older adults who were free of dementia for nine years. The MIND diet involved eating at least three wholegrains a day including oats, quinoa, and brown rice, along with a minimum of six portions of green vegetables, five servings of nuts, two berries, and four beans.
At least two dishes of poultry and one of fish are recommended, while red meat, fried food, and sweets should be avoided. Dr Hussein Yassine, associate professor of neurology at the University of Southern California, told CNBC: “If you take somebody who is not having a nutritious diet, and then they also don’t exercise much, they also don’t sleep well [and] they have risk factors for dementia. And then if you change only one [lifestyle factor], which is in this case the MIND diet, it’s likely to be less effective. It’s not that it’s not effective. [Some] diets have been shown across the board, in many studies, to be associated with less risk of dementia, less risk of brain diseases and longer lifespans."
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The diet helps reduce cognitive decline (Getty Images/iStockphoto)As dementia is linked to an abnormal build-up of proteins in the brain, named tau and amyloid, the organ launches an inflammatory response to keep the damage to a minimum. However, diets such as MIND, which are packed with vegetables and fruit high in antioxidants, can reduce inflammation, according to experts. Tracy Parker, the heart health dietician at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: "'Both diets are backed by lots of research showing they can help your heart health, and some evidence to suggest they can contribute to lower levels of mental decline."
Ms. Parker said the intake of berries "such as strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries also have many brain-protective benefits." This is due to foods containing high levels of antioxidants, which help protect against some of the damage to brain cells that can be associated with dementia. According to the Alzheimer's Society, they can also increase the levels of proteins in the brain that protect brain cells from this damage.
Food in the MIND diet
- Whole grains
- Vegetables, especially green, leafy ones
- Nuts
- Beans
- Berries
- Poultry
- Fish
- Olive oil
Foods to limit
- Pastries and sweets
- Red meat
- Cheese
- Fried foods
- Butter/Margarine