Study: Mediterranean And Mind Diets Can Reduce The Risk Of Alzheimer’s
Is there a connection between diet and brain health? Recent studies say yes. A new study has shown some light on this area. It says diet has an invariable link with Alzheimer’s in the brain.
The two diets that have a role in reducing Alzheimer’s in brain tissues are the Mediterranean and MIND diets. Engulf in an informative reading journey to find out how these diets can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s in brain tissues!
The Diets Might Save Your Brain From Alzheimer’s
A recent study published in the Neurology journal on March 8, 2023, found a link between Mediterranean and MIND diets and reduced signs of Alzheimer’s in brain tissue. The study examined the brains of 581 individuals who had donated their bodies as part of the Memory and Aging Project at Rush University. The endeavor began in 1997 and collected data yearly from participants since 2014.
From the results of this study, it was found that people who followed Mediterranean and MIND diets had fewer signs of Alzheimer’s disease than people who ate normal food. The MIND diet is the abbreviation for Mediterranean-DASH Dietary Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.
The researchers closely examined the plaques and tangles in the brain tissue of these people. It was found that those who followed these diets had 40% less likelihood of developing these plaques and tangles.
The researchers also found that just replacing one food category from any diet reduced amyloid accumulation in the brain. Even though the research doesn’t provide a conclusive statement on the relationship between diet and brain aging, one thing is for sure. Adding more leafy vegetables into meals can improve brain chemistry and have a great role in reducing brain aging.
The Mediterranean diet is already known as heart healthy and it can also diminish the risk of stroke and neurovascular injury. This means what is good for the heart can also do good for the brain.
Known as one of the best diets, the Mediterranean diet emphasizes plant-based cooking. It instructs on adding more vegetables and fruits to your dining table and suggests using extra virgin olive oil. The MIND diet was developed in 2015 and augments the Mediterranean diet to boost brain health.
It focuses on certain food items and the quantity of those items rather than suggesting eating vegetables and fruits. Leafy greens are a crucial part of MIND diets which include arugula, dandelion greens, collards, spinach, turnip greens, etc. These are considered highly brain-healthy and the greener they are, the better.
According to the research team behind the study, the previous analysis of dementia only looked at clinical outcomes. But the current study focuses on the specific signs of the disease by analyzing the brains of dead patients.
The findings of these studies point out that the consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugar leads to a higher level of plaque in brain tissue. Green leafy vegetables which are abundant with bioactive substances, enhance brain health and provide necessary nutrients for it.
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