Mediterranean Diet Improves Brain Health, According To New Study

Time to stock up on fresh veggies, fish, whole grains, legumes and olive oil: not only is the so-called 'Mediterranean diet' healthy for your heart, a new study reveals that it may also help prevent cognitive decline.

Research published this month in the Archives of Neurology found that people who eat according to the traditional (rather than modern) cuisine of countries like Italy, Greece and Spain have less small blood vessel damage in the brain than those who follow typical American diets, full of saturated fats, red meat and refined grains.

Researchers from Columbia University and University of Miami looked at the diets of 966 adults who filled out questionnaires about their food choices as part of the Northern Manhattan Study, a longitudinal cohort study that's focusing on how behavior affects long-term health. They sorted the group based on how closely their diets resembled a classic Mediterranean diet, which includes fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, fish, olive oil and a moderate amount of alcohol. This diet doesn't include a great deal of red meat, sweets, refined sugar and wheat, or rice.

Each participant was then given an MRI scan, where researchers looked at what's called "white matter hyperintensities," which are tiny markers that are visible on the scan and indicate damage to smaller blood vessels. That kind of damage is thought to be a major contributor to "silent strokes" -- the kind of vascular event that doesn’t lead to immediate symptoms or dramatic damage, but can affect brain performance over time.

Researchers found that a high ratio of monounsaturated (olive oil, nuts or avocados) to saturated fat (red meat, dairy) had a protective effect in particular: those who had the highest ratios also had the lowest amount of small blood vessel damage.

It's important to remember that this is merely an association -- not a causal relationship. More study is needed to determine exactly how the diet relates to white matter hyperintensities and, further, cognitive performance.

Comments

[I-US]

12:46 PM on 02/15/2012

This seems to confirm the study mentioned on here several weeks ago about how what Dr. Oz called "food felons"--saturated fat, trans fat, refined, processed carbohydrates--contribute to cognitive decline. It's disappointing that these types of foods are seen as status symbols (as the first link mentions) against the beautiful, nourishing, and traditional foods of these regions. We are at risk of losing these dishes with long histories and cultural significance, and I'm glad that UNESCO recognizes that recipes and food traditions deserve protection and preservation.

[InsultComicDog]

03:57 PM on 02/14/2012

I think they should find a group of ketogenic dieters who eat mostly meat and eggs and give them MRIs to see if the theory holds.

[wordmuse]

01:35 PM on 02/18/2012

excellent idea

[nikki717]

03:36 PM on 02/14/2012

I switched to a Mediterranean diet 2 years ago. Not sure of it's effects on my brain, but I lost a ton of weight and I feel quite sharper mentally.

[A Karamichalis]

08:02 PM on 09/11/2012

Me too...we only eat red meat once a week now, and chicken once a week. I concocted a lunch salad which is a take on a Greek salad, and it has made me feel very healthy, is low in calories but fills me up greatly, and has helped me lose weight and lose 50 points off my cholesterol levels.
If any one is interested, it tastes good too--
*I julienne a big bunch of prepackaged and washed Baby Spinach (organic) as a base.
*I slice some sweet Vidallia onion into it.
*I add one and a half ounces real Greek (sheep's milk) Feta Cheese. (Trader Jo's and Costco both have the REAL thing, which tastes so much better than the supermarket fetas made from cow's milk)
*I add almost two tablespoons of ground Flax Seed, and one teaspoon of Chia seeds. (The Flax was suggested in this amount by my internist for my cholesterol and it has worked...I did not want to take a statin)
*I add some Kosher salt for added flavor.
* I cut up some nice tasty tomatoes
*sometimes I add cured pitted Black olives
*sometimes I add a half avocado
And I dress it with a teaspoon or two of really good Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (I think that Trader Jo's Kalamata Greek Olive Oil from Greece is excellent by the way--you can smell how fresh it still is--the aroma is beautiful)