A major new study from RUSH University in Chicago has found more evidence that what we eat may have a big impact on our brain health, especially when it comes to Alzheimer’s disease.
The research, published in the journal Neurology, looked at two diets—the MIND diet and the Mediterranean diet—and how closely following them might help protect the brain from damage.
The Mediterranean diet is already well known for its health benefits. It focuses on eating lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, olive oil, beans, and nuts, along with drinking moderate amounts of wine.
The MIND diet is similar but puts special emphasis on green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, and also includes berries and at least one serving of fish each week.
In this study, researchers followed 581 older adults, with an average age of 84. These participants had agreed to donate their brains to science after death, so that scientists could learn more about Alzheimer’s disease. Every year during the study, the participants completed surveys about what they ate.
After about seven years, many of the participants had passed away. When researchers examined their brains, they found that 66% of them had signs of Alzheimer’s disease—specifically, a buildup of sticky plaques and tangled proteins known as amyloid and tau. These are common markers of Alzheimer’s in the brain.
But here’s the most interesting part: people who had closely followed the MIND or Mediterranean diet had fewer of these plaques and tangles. Their brains showed fewer signs of the damage normally linked with Alzheimer’s.
In fact, those who ate lots of green leafy vegetables—seven or more servings per week—had brains that looked nearly 19 years younger than those who rarely ate them.
The findings are powerful, but researchers are careful to point out that this doesn’t prove the diets caused the difference. It only shows a strong link between healthy eating and a healthier brain. Still, the results give us a hopeful message: eating certain foods might help protect our memory and thinking abilities as we get older.
The study was led by Puja Agarwal and her team, who believe this research adds to growing evidence that lifestyle choices—including what we eat—can influence the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
They hope future research will explore more deeply how these diets work in the brain, and whether changing our eating habits earlier in life could provide even more protection.
In the meantime, adding more spinach, berries, beans, and fish to your meals might be one of the simplest and most delicious ways to take care of your brain.
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