Looking to find out which foods can lower your risk for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia? While scientists are still studying how exactly what you eat may or may not protect against Alzheimer’s, we know that certain foods do a better job of keeping your brain healthy.
It turns out that the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet—which is heavy on whole grains, vegetables, and fish—may be the best choice for protecting brain health. A related diet called MIND that follows much of the Mediterranean diet and focuses on lowering blood pressure also may be helpful.
It’s not clear yet why certain foods may play a role in preventing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. It could be that the foods listed below are also known to be protective against other health conditions like diabetes and obesity that can increase the risk for dementia.
Here are some of the foods that are part of the Mediterranean and MIND diets that you’ll want to add to what you eat every day. Don’t worry if you can’t make these healthy changes all at once. Even just adding these foods more frequently to what you eat can help with brain health and may be protective against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Note that both the Mediterranean and MIND diets put less emphasis on red meat, cheese, and sweets.
8 Good-for-Your-Brain Foods—and How Often You Should Eat Them
- Leafy green vegetables. Aim for at least six servings a week.
- At least one other type of vegetable each day.
- Whole grains like whole wheat bread or brown rice. Aim for three servings a day.
- Berries. At least two servings each week.
- One serving of fish a week.
- Two servings of poultry (like chicken or turkey) a week.
- Five servings of nuts a week.
- Three servings of beans each week.
Perhaps one day, researchers will know exactly how certain foods can lower your risk for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Stay tuned.
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