Our diet can have a great influence on brain health and in this sense, we tell you what is the MIND diet and how can it help you prevent Alzheimer’s.
What is the MIND diet?
The MIND diet was born as a hybrid between the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, commonly used to stop or control high blood pressure. Thus, by its acronym in English, the MIND diet is a Mediterranean-DASH diet for Neurodegenerative Delay.
It constitutes a resource that involves different food groups and is characterized by its richness in fiber, vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fats and components with antioxidant effectespecially of plant origin.
Foods that highlight the MIND diet
In the MIND diet we find ingredients typical of the Mediterranean diet as well as others that stand out in the DASH diet, being its main components the following:
- Whole grains and legumes that offer fiber and phenolic compounds with an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.
- berries rich in polyphenols and vitamin C, among which we can find blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and others.
- Green leaves and other vegetables that provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and many substances with an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect on an organism.
- extra virgin olive oil that provides beneficial monounsaturated fats and provides polyphenols with an anti-inflammatory effect in our body.
- Lean white meat and fish as main sources of protein that our brain needs to function properly, the latter group of foods being sources of omega 3 polyunsaturated fats with an anti-inflammatory effect.
As we can see, the MIND diet is characterized by its richness in vitamins and minerals various among them, vitamins of group B of great use for the functioning of the nervous system and metabolism as well as, unsaturated fats, lean protein, and lots of fiber.
In it, there are no refined grains, sugars, alcohol or trans or saturated fats in high proportions.
MIND diet and brain health
The MIND diet has shown in an analysis of different investigations to be superior to other plant-rich diets such as the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet separately, in improving cognition, thus being very helpful in older adults to maintain mental health and cognitive function despite the passage of time.
On the other hand, there is research that corroborates the positive effects of the MIND diet, associating it with a larger total brain volume and better cognitive performance.
Even with previous brain pathologies such as Alzheimer’s disease, the MIND diet was associated with better cognitive functioning in older adults, which is why it is recommended to prevent dementia or other pathologies that can affect the brain, even helping its control and treatment.
How to put the MIND diet into practice
To prevent brain aging typical of the passing of the years and improve cognitive performance, mind diet it is of great help. We can put it into practice taking into account the following premises:
- To incorporate fruits and vegetables in all our meals using fresh and seasonal specimens to obtain a greater amount of antioxidants and phenolic compounds that benefit the body.
- Use whole grains instead of refinedto get more and better nutrients that positively affect the brain.
- Use extra virgin olive oil as main fat source of antioxidants and substances with anti-inflammatory effect in our body.
- Reduce meat consumption and increase fish consumption that can provide beneficial omega 3 for brain function.
- Use herbs and spices to season reducing the use of sugar and salt in our daily dishes.
- Consume water as main drink Avoiding as much as possible the consumption of alcohol and drinks that are sources of free or added sugars.
These are some of the premises that will help us follow the MIND diet and benefit brain function delaying or controlling diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer’s.
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