According to a new study performed by RUSH University in Chicago, people who eat green leafy vegetables, fruit, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts and fish may have fewer proteins in their brains linked to Alzheimer’s disease than people not eating these foods.
Researchers looked at how closely people followed the MIND and Mediterranean diets. Although similar, the Mediterranean diet recommends vegetables, fruit, and three or more servings of fish per week while the MIND diet prioritises green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and collard greens along with other vegetables.
Study author Puja Agarwal said: “Our finding that eating more green leafy vegetables is in itself associated with fewer signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain is intriguing enough for people to consider adding more of these vegetables to their diet.”
The MIND diet also prioritises berries over other fruit and recommends one or more servings of fish per week. Both of the diets recommend small amounts of wine.
Puja Agarwal added: “These results are exciting. Improvement in people’s diets in just one area – such as eating more than six servings of green leafy vegetables per week, or not eating fried foods – was associated with fewer amyloid plaques in the brain similar to being about four years younger.”
