The MIND diet was created to prevent dementia and loss of brain activities with age. Coincidently, the name of the MIND diet implies a diet designed to have a healthy mind and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. MIND diet combines the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet to form a new dietary plan that is meant to improve brain health. The MIND diet involves the intake of plant-based foods and avoiding the intake of animal products and foods which have high quantities of saturated fats.

Benefits of the MIND Diet

• The primary purpose of the MIND diet is to boost the performance of the brain in old age. It also offers several benefits other than regulating the brain’s functionality.
• It provides a complete range of nutrition according to a person’s age.
• Additionally, its health benefits are easy to observe, unlike strict diet plans.
• MIND diet is useful for reducing the risk of dementia, which generally occurs in old age and can be life-threatening.
• Even people who are not at risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease can follow this diet.
• This diet is useful for healthy weight loss and maintaining BMI.
• The MIND diet provides many antioxidants which are required for the body’s internal functioning.
• This diet balances the cholesterol levels and consequently reduces chronic conditions like heart diseases.
• One major benefit of the MIND diet is that it will make a person feel and stay younger.

Foods to consume under the MIND diet 

• Green, leafy vegetables: It mostly includes kale, spinach, cooked greens, and salads.
• All other vegetables: Don’t ignore other vegetables while focusing on the consumption of leafy vegetables. It is best to have non-starchy vegetables with low calorie content.
• Berries: Under the MIND diet, a person should have strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries which provide antioxidants.
• Nuts: The creators of MIND diet don’t specify which nuts to have, but people can try a variety of nuts to obtain its nutritional benefits.
• Olive oil: It is advisable to use olive oil as the primary cooking oil.
• Whole grains: Rely on whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, whole-wheat bread, and whole-wheat pasta.
• Fish: It is recommended to consume fatty fish like salmon, trout, sardines, tuna, and mackerel as they are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Beans: Repeated use of beans like beans, lentils, and soybeans is preferred.
• Poultry: One can eat chicken or turkey, but not its fried variants.

Foods to limit while following the MIND diet

• Red meat: Try to avoid red meat.
• Butter and margarine: Limit its use to not more than one tablespoon daily.
• Cheese: Restricted its use to not more than one serving a week.
• Sweets: Limit to five servings a week.

Before starting the MIND diet, one should talk to their doctor about its effectiveness in preventing Alzheimer’s disease.