The MIND diet is many things, but it is not a diet plan for quick weight reduction. That’s a good thing since there are far too many of them, and none are beneficial to your long-term health. According to its supporters, the MIND diet is about preventing brain degeneration and decreasing the development of dementia. True to its name, what you eat influences the functioning of your brain.
So, how does it work? In summary, MIND advocates claim that eating more foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, disease-fighting antioxidants, and less inflammatory foods (butter, cheese, red meat) can boost your brainpower.
Those claims are incredible, and the MIND diet has a scientific basis. Furthermore, MIND may be simpler to follow than even the far Mediterranean diet, which may be a little restricted and requires you to consume fish daily. Moreover, the MIND diet allows you to drink a little wine and does not require tracking calories. However, critics have few complaints about the MIND diet, particularly its “bad” brain foods. So, is the MIND diet for you? Can the MIND diet reduce the development of dementia and postpone brain decline? Is the research backed up? We, too, had questions. That’s why we enlisted the help of specialists to examine the diet and provide some solutions.
Here’s what our Advisory Board’s nutritional and mental health experts have to say about the MIND diet—and if it’s a good idea.
What exactly is the MIND diet?
The MIND diet is an expression for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. You’re consuming brain-boosting cereals, veggies, berries, seafood, and even a little wine. The MIND diet was developed by nutritional epidemiologist Martha Clare Morris, Sc.D., based on her decades of brain study. Morris designed the diets specifically to prevent Hypertension in persons aged 65 and over.
What are the advantages of the MIND diet?
“When it comes to brain health, food is one of the most significant levers that we pull,” says Drew Ramsey, M.D., a Men’s Health expert. And the MIND diet’s advantages may extend beyond the brain. According to a 2021 research published in the British Journal of Nutrition, persons who followed the MIND diet had a lower risk of cardiovascular illnesses such as hypertension, heart attack, and stroke.
What are the disadvantages of the MIND diet?
According to Brian St. Pierre, R.D., a Men’s Health expert, most MIND research has only revealed a connection, not the causal cause. As a result, there is no evidence that the MIND diet alone is responsible for brain benefits. And what about getting rid of all those inflammatory “bad brain” foods? “The evidence is not strong against consuming moderate quantities of minimally processed red meat and aged cheese,” St. Pierre adds.
Should you try the MIND diet?
St. Pierre recommends the MIND diet to everyone under the age of 65 who does not have a family history of neurological illnesses. Aside from brain health, wise dietitians usually encourage eating more fruits and vegetables and omega-3-rich seafood. And if you can do it without counting calories, that’s even better.
