A new study from RUSH University in Chicago has found that eating a healthy diet rich in green leafy vegetables and other nutritious foods may help protect the brain from signs of Alzheimer’s disease. The research was published in the journal Neurology and looked at how people’s diets were linked to changes in their brains after death.
The study focused on two well-known eating patterns: the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet. Both have been shown in earlier research to support heart and brain health. The Mediterranean diet encourages people to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and to include fish in their meals at least three times a week.
The MIND diet—short for “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay”—is similar but puts more focus on green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens. It also suggests eating berries regularly and includes at least one serving of fish per week. Both diets also allow small amounts of wine.
In this study, researchers looked at the brains of 581 people who had agreed to donate their bodies to science. These participants were about 84 years old, on average, when they first joined the study.
They answered yearly questions about the foods they ate, and after they passed away—on average, about seven years later—their brains were examined for signs of Alzheimer’s disease. These signs include amyloid plaques and tau tangles, which are harmful protein buildups that damage brain cells and are linked to memory loss and cognitive decline.
The results showed that people who followed the Mediterranean or MIND diets more closely had fewer of these plaques and tangles in their brains. Although the study does not prove that the diet caused the healthier brain condition, it does show a strong connection.
One especially interesting finding was about green leafy vegetables. People who ate at least seven servings of these vegetables per week had brain plaque levels that were similar to those of people nearly 19 years younger.
In contrast, those who ate one serving or less per week had more brain plaque, suggesting that leafy greens might play a big role in protecting the brain as we age.
This research suggests that eating a diet full of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, olive oil, and fish may help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or slow its progress. While more studies are needed to prove exactly how diet affects brain aging, the results are promising.
If you want to support your brain health, it might be a good idea to include more spinach, kale, berries, nuts, and fish in your meals. These foods are not only nutritious but may also help your brain stay sharp as you get older.
The study was led by Dr. Puja Agarwal and offers hopeful news for those looking to take simple steps to reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about why vitamin K is so important for older people, and this snack food may harm your heart rhythm.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about vitamin that may protect you from type 2 diabetes, and results showing this common chemical in food may harm your blood pressure.
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