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THE MIND DIET

  • Writer: Admin
    Admin
  • Jul 28, 2023
  • 4 min read

Updated: Sep 12

Graduate student, Isabel Cardi, developed this article explaining the MIND diet. Keep reading to learn what the MIND Diet is, where is comes from, it's evidence-based applications, and how to implement this diet pattern!


The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) Diet - What is it?


The MIND Diet is a hybrid of two well-studied diets, the Mediterranean and DASH diets, which are known to improve heart health.


The MIND diet emphasizes the consumption of fresh fruits & vegetables, whole grains, lean meats & seafood, and healthy fats like olive oil, nuts & seeds. Foods such as red meat, processed sweets & snacks, fried foods and dairy should be eaten in limited quantities.


The MIND diet has been associated with improvements in:


  • Cardiovascular health

  • Blood pressure

  • Cholesterol

  • Inflammation

  • Weight loss

  • Delayed Alzheimer’s onset

  • Decreased incidence of depression


MIND Diet Eating Frequency Chart

Frequency

Foods to Include

Recommended Amount

Daily

Whole grains

3+ servings


Leafy green vegetables

1+ serving


Other vegetables (non-leafy greens)

1+ serving

Weekly

Nuts

5+ servings


Beans/legumes

4+ servings


Berries

2+ servings


Poultry

2+ servings


Fish/seafood

1+ serving

Limit Weekly

Pastries & sweets

<5 servings


Red meat

<4 servings


Cheese & fried food

<1 serving


While this checklist can seem overwhelming, know that you do not have to check off each daily or weekly item 100% of the time in order for this to be beneficial. I love the MIND diet because of the straightforward checklist format, which makes it easier to implement, in addition to the countless research studies demonstrating how impactful it can be. You can use this as a guide for meal, snack, and grocery planning while finding ways that work for you to move in this general dietary direction.


References


Akbar Z, Fituri S, Ouagueni A, Alalwani J, Sukik A, Al-Jayyousi GF, Bassil M, Tayyem R. Associations of the MIND Diet with Cardiometabolic Diseases and Their Risk Factors: A Systematic Review. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2023 Oct 26;16:3353-3371. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S427412. PMID: 37908631; PMCID: PMC10614652. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10614652/


Fateh HL, Muhammad SS, Kamari N. Associations between adherence to MIND diet and general obesity and lipid profile: A cross-sectional study. Front Nutr. 2023 Apr 11;10:1078961. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1078961. PMID: 37113290; PMCID: PMC10126273. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37113290/


Harvard School of Public Health, 2023; Yau, Law & Wong, 2023


Morris MC, Tangney CC, Wang Y, Sacks FM, Barnes LL, Bennett DA, Aggarwal NT. MIND diet slows cognitive decline with aging. Alzheimers Dement. 2015 Sep;11(9):1015-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2015.04.011. Epub 2015 Jun 15. PMID: 26086182; PMCID: PMC4581900. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26086182/


Dhana K, James BD, Agarwal P, Aggarwal NT, Cherian LJ, Leurgans SE, Barnes LL, Bennett DA, Schneider JA. MIND diet, common brain pathologies, and cognition in community-dwelling older adults. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 2021 Jan 1;83(2):683-92.


Cherian L, Wang Y, Fakuda K, Leurgans S, Aggarwal N, Morris M. Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet slows cognitive decline after stroke. The journal of prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. 2019 Oct;6(4):267-73.


Hosking DE, Eramudugolla R, Cherbuin N, Anstey KJ. MIND not Mediterranean diet related to 12-year incidence of cognitive impairment in an Australian longitudinal cohort study. Alzheimer’s & Dementia. 2019 Apr 1;15(4):581-9.


Melo van Lent D, O’Donnell A, Beiser AS, Vasan RS, DeCarli CS, Scarmeas N, Wagner M, Jacques PF, Seshadri S, Himali JJ, Pase MP. Mind diet adherence and cognitive performance in the Framingham heart study. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 2021 Jan 1;82(2):827-39.


Berendsen AM, Kang JH, Feskens EJ, de Groot CP, Grodstein F, van de Rest O. Association of long-term adherence to the mind diet with cognitive function and cognitive decline in American women. The journal of nutrition, health & aging. 2018 Feb;22(2):222-9. Disclosure: Grodstein reports grants from International Nut Council, other from California Walnut Council, outside the submitted work.


Chen H, Dhana K, Huang Y, Huang L, Tao Y, Liu X, van Lent DM, Zheng Y, Ascherio A, Willett W, Yuan C. Association of the Mediterranean Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) Diet With the Risk of Dementia. JAMA psychiatry. 2023 May 3.


Liu X, Morris MC, Dhana K, Ventrelle J, Johnson K, Bishop L, Hollings CS, Boulin A, Laranjo N, Stubbs BJ, Reilly X. Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) study: rationale, design and baseline characteristics of a randomized control trial of the MIND diet on cognitive decline. Contemporary clinical trials. 2021 Mar 1;102:106270. Disclosure: several corporations generously donated mixed nuts (International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research and Education Foundation), peanut butter (The Peanut Institute), extra virgin olive oil (Innoliva-ADM Capital Europe LLP), and blueberries (U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council). These items will be distributed to those participants who are randomized to the MIND diet arm.


Barnes LL, Dhana K, Liu X, Carey VJ, Ventrelle J, Johnson K, Hollings CS, Bishop L, Laranjo N, Stubbs BJ, Reilly X. Trial of the MIND Diet for Prevention of Cognitive Decline in Older Persons. New England Journal of Medicine. 2023 Jul 18.


Boumenna T, Scott TM, Lee JS, Zhang X, Kriebel D, Tucker KL, Palacios N. MIND diet and cognitive function in Puerto Rican older adults. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A. 2022 Mar;77(3):605-13.


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