MIND Diet - Beginners Guide

MIND, an acronym that stands for the Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay. It is a hybrid of the Mediterranean diet (lower bad cholesterol) and DASH diet (lower blood pressure). The MIND diet aims to reduce dementia and the decline in brain health that often occurs as people get older. Experts think the Mediterranean and DASH diets as some of the healthiest. Research has shown they can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and several other diseases. Both the Mediterranean and DASH diets recommend eating a lot of fruit. But the MIND diet encourages its followers to eat berries, but does not emphasize consuming fruit in general.

Mind Diet Guidelines

Researchers developed the MIND diet to emphasize foods that impact brain health. Here is what that looks like:

Foods to Eat

Load Vegetables
Researchers found that green leafy ones like kale, collards, spinach or lettuce were specifically shown to lower the risk of dementia and cognitive decline. Greens are packed with nutrients linked to better brain health like folate, vitamin E, carotenoids and flavonoids. And one serving a day has been shown to slow brain aging. To max out your veggie score, aim to eat at least six servings a week of greens. Then round it out with at least one serving of other vegetables a day. Serving: 1-2 per day (about 1 cup raw, ½ cup cooked).

Eat Berries
Eat berries at least twice a week. Although the published research only includes strawberries, you should also consume other berries like blueberries, raspberries and blackberries for their antioxidant benefits. Serving: 4-5 per week (about ½ cup).

Snack on Nuts
Nuts may be high in calories and fat, but they are packed with fat-soluble vitamin E, known for its brain-protective qualities. Grab a handful at least five times a week instead of processed snacks like chips or pastries. Check the list of ingredients and opt for the dry-roasted or raw, unsalted kind without extra sodium, sweeteners or oils. Serving: 1 per day (about 1/3 cup).

Use Olive Oil
Another Mediterranean diet staple that has a home in the MIND diet is olive oil. Researchers recommend using it as your primary cooking oil, and avoiding butter and margarine.

Beans
Beans, lentils and soybeans, which pack protein and fiber, make a worthy substitute. They will keep you full and are rich in B vitamins, which are important for brain health. Serving: 4-5 per week (about ½ cup).

Have Fish
Eat fish at least once a week. It is best to choose fatty fish like salmon, sardines, trout, tuna and mackerel for their high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Serving: 2+ per week (3 ounces cooked).

Whole grains 
Aim for at least three servings daily. Choose whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and 100% whole-wheat bread. Serving: 3 per day (1 slice of bread, ½ cup brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal).

Glass of wine
While too much alcohol is unquestionably harmful to the brain and overall health, studies suggest that light to moderate drinking may lower the risk of dementia. And it may delay the onset of Alzheimer's  disease by two to three years.

Foods to Avoid

The MIND diet recommends limiting the following five foods:

Butter and margarine 

Try to eat less than 1 tablespoon (about 14 grams) daily. Instead, try using olive oil as your primary cooking fat, and dipping your bread in olive oil with herbs.

Cheese

The MIND diet recommends limiting your cheese consumption to less than once per week.

Red meat

Aim for no more than three servings each week. This includes all beef, pork, lamb and products made from these meats.

Fried food

The MIND diet highly discourages fried food, especially the kind from fast-food restaurants. Limit your consumption to less than once per week.

Pastries and sweets 

This includes most of the processed junk food and desserts you can think of. Ice cream, cookies, brownies, snack cakes, donuts, candy and more. Try to limit these to no more than four times a week.

Researchers encourage limiting your consumption of these foods because they contain saturated fats and trans fats. Studies have found that trans fats are clearly associated with all sorts of diseases, including heart disease and even Alzheimer’s disease. However, the health effects of saturated fat are widely debated in the nutrition world.

Benefits of Mind Diet

Oxidative Stress & Inflammation

Oxidative stress occurs when unstable molecules called free radicals accumulate in the body in large quantities. This often causes damage to cells. The brain is especially vulnerable to this type of damage. Inflammation is your body’s natural response to injury and infection. But if it is not properly regulated, inflammation can also be harmful and contribute to many chronic diseases.

Together, oxidative stress and inflammation can be quite detrimental to the brain. Following the Mediterranean and DASH diets has been associated with lower levels of oxidative stress and inflammation. Because the MIND diet is a hybrid of these two diets, the foods that make up the MIND diet probably also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

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. Additionally, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish are well-known for their ability to lower inflammation in the brain, and have been associated with slower loss of brain function.

Reduce Beta-Amyloid Proteins

Researchers also believe the MIND diet may benefit the brain by reducing potentially harmful beta-amyloid proteins. Beta-amyloid proteins are protein fragments found naturally in the body. However, they can accumulate and form plaques that build up in the brain, disrupting communication between brain cells and eventually leading to brain cell death. Many scientists believe these plaques are one of the primary causes of Alzheimer’s disease.

Animal and test-tube studies suggest that the antioxidants and vitamins that many MIND diet foods contain may help prevent the formation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. Additionally, the MIND diet limits foods that contain saturated fats and trans fats, which studies have shown can increase beta-amyloid protein levels in mice’s brains. Human observational studies have found that consuming these fats was associated with a doubled risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

However, it is important to note that this type of research is not able to determine cause and effect. Higher-quality, controlled studies are needed to discover exactly how the MIND diet may benefit brain health.

Research on Brain Health

The MIND diet is a new topic to research. The first official paper on the diet was published in 2015. Not many researches are there. However, two observational studies on the MIND diet have shown very promising results.

In one study of 923 older adults, people who followed the MIND diet the closest had a 53% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease than people who followed it the least.

Interestingly, people who followed the MIND diet only moderately still seemed to benefit from it, and cut their risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 35%, on average.

The second study found that people who followed the MIND diet the closest experienced a slower decline in brain function compared to people who followed the diet the least.

So while the early research is promising, it can not say for sure that the MIND diet caused the reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease or the slower brain decline. However, researchers recently received approval to start a controlled study on the effects of the MIND diet.

Takeaway

The MIND diet was created to help prevent dementia and slow the loss of brain function that can happen with age. It encourages its followers to consume vegetables, berries, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, fish, beans, poultry and wine.

These foods contain many nutrients that promote good brain health, possibly by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation and the formation of beta-amyloid plaques.

Early research shows that closely following the MIND diet is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and slower loss of brain function over time. However, more research is needed to understand the diet’s effects.