A new study from RUSH University in Chicago suggests that eating plenty of green leafy vegetables, along with other healthy foods like fruits, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts, and fish, may help protect the brain from Alzheimer’s disease.
The study, published in the Neurology journal, looked at how closely people followed the MIND and Mediterranean diets and found that those who ate these diets had fewer signs of Alzheimer’s in their brains. Specifically, they had fewer amyloid plaques and tau tangles—two key markers of the disease.
The Mediterranean diet encourages eating lots of vegetables, fruits, and at least three servings of fish each week. The MIND diet, on the other hand, focuses more on green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens, while also promoting other vegetables and berries. It recommends eating at least one serving of fish per week. Both diets also include small amounts of wine.
The study involved 581 participants with an average age of 84 when their diets were assessed. These participants agreed to donate their brains after death for Alzheimer’s research. Each year, they filled out surveys about their eating habits. On average, they passed away seven years after the study began, and when their brains were examined, 66% met the criteria for Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers found that people who followed the MIND and Mediterranean diets had significantly fewer plaques and tangles in their brains. This suggests that a diet rich in healthy foods may help protect the brain as people age.
One of the most striking findings was related to green leafy vegetables. People who ate at least seven servings per week had brain plaque levels similar to those of someone nearly 19 years younger than those who ate one or fewer servings per week.
While this study shows a strong link between diet and brain health, it does not prove that eating these foods directly prevents Alzheimer’s. More research is needed to confirm these results.
Still, the findings support the idea that eating well can help keep the brain healthy. In addition to a nutritious diet, other lifestyle factors—such as regular exercise—may also lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
This study was conducted by Puja Agarwal and her team and published in Neurology.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about the protective power of dietary antioxidants against Alzheimer’s, and eating habits linked to higher Alzheimer’s risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that oral cannabis extract may help reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms, and Vitamin E may help prevent Parkinson’s disease.
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