The MIND Diet: A Detailed Guide for Beginners
The MIND diet is designed to prevent dementia and loss of brain function as you age.
It combines the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet to create a dietary model specifically focused on brain health.
This article is a step-by-step guide for beginners, with everything you need to know about the MIND diet and how to follow it.
What is the MIND diet?
MIND stands for Mediterranean Intervention-DASH for Neurodegenerative Delay.
The MIND diet aims to reduce dementia and the decline in brain health that often occurs with age. It combines aspects of two very popular diets, the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH (Dietetic Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet.
10 foods to eat on the MIND diet
Here are the 10 foods that the MIND diet encourages:
Green leafy vegetables: Aim for six or more servings per week. This includes kale, spinach, cooked greens, and salads.
All other vegetables: Try to eat another vegetable in addition to green leafy vegetables at least once a day. It is best to choose non-starchy vegetables because they contain a lot of nutrients and are low in calories.
Berries: Eat berries at least twice a week. Although the published research only includes strawberries, you should also consume other berries like blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries for their antioxidant benefits (5, 6).
Hazelnuts: Aim for five or more servings of nuts each week. The makers of the MIND Diet don’t specify what type of nuts to eat, but it’s probably best to vary the type of nuts you eat to get a variety of nutrients.
Olive oil: Use olive oil as the main cooking oil. Check out this article to learn more about cooking safety in olive oil.
Whole Grains: Aim for at least three servings per day. Choose whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and 100% whole wheat bread.
Fish: Eat fish at least once a week. It is best to choose fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, tuna and mackerel for their high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.
Beans: Include beans in at least four meals a week. This includes all beans, lentils, and soybeans.
Poultry: Try to eat chicken or turkey at least twice a week. Note that fried chicken is not recommended for the MIND diet.
Wine: Aim for no more than one drink per day. Red wine and white wine can benefit the brain. However, a lot of research has focused on resveratrol, made from red wine, which may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
