A new study from RUSH University in Chicago has found that eating more green leafy vegetables and other healthy foods could help protect your brain from Alzheimer’s disease.
The study looked at how closely people followed two diets known for their health benefits—the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet—and how these eating habits were linked to brain health later in life.
The Mediterranean diet includes lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, olive oil, and at least three servings of fish each week.
The MIND diet, which stands for Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, focuses especially on green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens.
It also encourages eating berries, nuts, beans, whole grains, fish at least once a week, and small amounts of wine.
In this study, 581 older adults—whose average age was 84—filled out yearly surveys about what they ate. They also agreed to donate their brains for research after they passed away. On average, participants died seven years after joining the study, and after their deaths, scientists examined their brains for signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
About two-thirds of the participants showed brain changes typical of Alzheimer’s, such as amyloid plaques and tau tangles. But researchers found that those who followed the Mediterranean and MIND diets more closely had fewer of these harmful brain changes.
While the study didn’t prove that the diet directly caused better brain health, it did show a strong link between healthy eating and fewer Alzheimer’s markers.
One of the most striking findings involved green leafy vegetables. People who ate seven or more servings per week had brain plaque levels similar to people nearly 19 years younger who ate one or fewer servings per week. That’s a huge difference and shows how powerful diet may be in protecting the brain as we age.
This suggests that eating more vegetables—especially leafy greens—along with fruits, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts, and fish may help keep your brain healthy and slow down memory problems. It’s an easy and natural way to support your brain over time.
The study was led by Dr. Puja Agarwal and published in the journal *Neurology*. While more research is needed to confirm these results, the findings are very encouraging.
If you’re concerned about Alzheimer’s, it’s good to know that other studies are also exploring new ways to detect and prevent the disease. For example, blood tests may one day predict Alzheimer’s up to five years before symptoms appear.
Other research suggests that regular exercise and even foods like coconut oil and strawberries might help support memory and thinking.
In the meantime, adding more leafy greens and healthy foods to your plate may be a smart move—not just for your body, but for your brain too.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about Scientists find a new way to treat Alzheimer’s disease and findings of Fluctuating cholesterol and triglyceride levels are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
For more information about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about Scientists find root cause of tau tangles in Alzheimer’s disease and findings of new treatment for early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
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