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What is the MIND Diet?

Essica Rahman -

Dementia is a problem that affects millions of people across the world. In the United States alone, there are 6.2 million adults over 65  who suffer from the disease. The MIND diet is designed to slow down the rate of cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia.

MIND stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. The MIND diet combines elements of two different diets (the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet) to produce a brain health-focused diet for the aging population to follow.

The MIND diet can lower blood pressure and improve heart health. It is known to lower not only the risk of dementia but also the risk of stroke and diabetes.

There are no set guidelines for the MIND diet, but there are recommendations on which foods to eat and which to avoid.

Foods to Eat When You’re Following the MIND Diet

  • Green, leafy vegetables - consume at least six servings of a combination of broccoli, kale, spinach, and salad. Alongside this, eat additional vegetables of a range of colors
  • Berries - eat berries at least twice a week, including strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
  • Whole grains - eat three servings of healthy whole grains a week, including wholemeal bread, brown rice, and quinoa
  • Beans - eat beans as part of your main meals twice a week
  • Nuts - consume at least five servings of nuts each week, aiming for a range of different types
  • Poultry and fish - consume chicken or turkey twice a week and fish at least once a week. Stick to oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna
  • Red wine and olive oil - consume moderate amounts of red wine each week and use olive oil as your main cooking oil

Foods to Avoid When You’re Following the MIND Diet

  • Pastries, cookies, chocolate, and candies - highly processed snacks and pastries should be eaten in very small amounts no more than four times a week
  • Fried foods - ideally, fried food should be kept to an absolute minimum with no more than one serving of fried food each week
  • Red meat - due to the high-fat content, red meat should be limited to three servings a week
  • Cheese and dairy - these products should be consumed no more than once a week
  • Butter and margarine – both of these food items should be limited to once or twice a week