As we get older, keeping our minds sharp and our memories strong is just as important as keeping our bodies active. You may have heard that eating well is good for your heart and waistline, but did you know it can also protect your brain?
Enter the MIND diet, which stands for the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. Developed by Dr. Martha Clare Morris and her colleagues at Rush University, this eating plan combines the very best parts of two beloved diets, the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, to specifically target and protect the health of your aging brain.
The best part? It is simple, flexible, and focuses on delicious, wholesome foods.
Why Does It Work?
Scientists believe the MIND diet works by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress happens when unstable molecules, called free radicals, build up and cause damage to your cells. The brain is especially susceptible to this sort of damage as we age.
Both the Mediterranean and the DASH diets have been found to lower levels of inflammation and free radicals. By combining them, the MIND diet ensures you are getting more of the foods that help and fewer of the foods that hurt.
The research is incredibly encouraging: studies show that strictly following the MIND diet can lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 53%. Even if you only follow it moderately well, you can still see a 35% reduction in risk.
What Foods Are Important? (The “Brain-Healthy” Foods)
Focusing on these nutrient-packed foods will give your brain the fuel it needs:
- Green, leafy vegetables (6+ servings per week): Think spinach, kale, collards, chard, and salads.
- Other vegetables (1+ servings per day): Try to add at least one other non-starchy vegetable to your day.
- Whole grains (3+ servings per day): Oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, and 100% whole wheat bread or pasta. Avoid refined white grains.
- Nuts and seeds (5+ servings per week): Almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, or peanut butter.
- Berries (2+ servings per week): Blueberries are considered one of the most potent foods for protecting the brain. Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are also excellent. Dried berries do not count toward this goal.
- Beans (4+ meals per week): Black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, lentils, and soybeans.
- Poultry (2+ meals per week): Choose light meat chicken or turkey without the skin. Just do not fry it.
- Fish (1+ meals per week): Focus on fatty fish rich in omega-3s, like salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, and mackerel.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Use this as your primary cooking oil and for salad dressings. Aim for about 2 tablespoons a day.
- Wine (optional): Originally, the diet included one glass of wine a day, but this has since been omitted in newer trials for general safety. Whether or not to include wine is a personal decision you should discuss with your doctor.
Bonus lifestyle tip: along with a brain-healthy diet, keeping your mind active, staying physically active, and staying connected with friends and family are wonderful ways to help reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
What Foods Should I Limit?
To get the most out of the MIND diet, try to limit foods high in sugar and saturated and trans fats:
- Foods high in added sugars: Pastries, sweets, ice cream, cookies, and sugar-sweetened beverages, with less than 5 servings a week.
- Red meat: Beef, pork, lamb, and products made from these meats, with less than 4 servings a week.
- Cheese and fried or fast foods: Less than 1 serving a week.
- Butter and stick margarine: Less than 1 tablespoon per day. Try dipping whole grain bread in olive oil with herbs instead.
Your 1-Week MIND Diet Meal Plan
Not sure where to start? Here is a simple, week-long meal plan using the brain-healthy foods encouraged on the MIND diet.
Tip: For your salads, make a simple homemade dressing by mixing 3 parts extra-virgin olive oil with 1 part balsamic vinegar, a little Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
Monday
- Breakfast: 1 cup cooked steel-cut oats topped with 3/4 cup fresh blueberries, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons slivered almonds.
- Lunch: Mediterranean salad with mixed greens, cucumbers, and bell peppers, topped with grilled chicken and olive oil vinaigrette. Whole wheat pita on the side.
- Dinner: 3 ounces baked salmon with a side of brown rice and steamed cauliflower.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Greek yogurt topped with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds.
- Lunch: Tuna salad sandwich on 100% whole wheat bread, served with a side of carrots and hummus.
- Dinner: Whole wheat spaghetti with turkey meatballs and marinara sauce, plus a side salad with olive oil dressing.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Whole wheat toast topped with almond butter, alongside scrambled eggs.
- Lunch: Bean and rice bowl. Saute onions in olive oil, add 1 cup drained canned black beans, and serve over brown rice.
- Dinner: Chicken and vegetable stir-fry served over brown rice.
Thursday
- Breakfast: Greek yogurt with a spoonful of peanut butter and sliced bananas.
- Lunch: Baked trout served with a side of collard greens and black-eyed peas.
- Dinner: Grilled chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread, side of fresh blackberries and baby carrots.
Friday
- Breakfast: Spinach and egg frittata with a side of sliced apple and peanut butter.
- Lunch: Mexican-style salad with mixed greens, black beans, corn, red onion, grilled chicken, and olive oil dressing.
- Dinner: Chili made with ground turkey and kidney beans. Serve with a whole grain roll dipped in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Saturday
- Breakfast: Overnight oats mixed with strawberries and almond butter.
- Lunch: Fish tacos, grilled and not fried, on whole wheat tortillas, served with brown rice, pinto beans, and coleslaw.
- Dinner: Chicken gyro on a whole wheat pita, alongside a cucumber and tomato salad.
Sunday
- Breakfast: 100% whole wheat toast topped with avocado, and an omelet with peppers and onions.
- Lunch: 2 cups of mixed greens salad with chickpeas, cucumbers, and olive oil dressing. Medium orange for a snack.
- Dinner: Curry chicken served with brown rice, lentils, and a side salad.
Remember to drink plenty of water, tea, or coffee with little to no sugar throughout your week. Happy eating.
