LITTLE ROCK — Though diet alone cannot prevent the onset of dementia, choosing heart-healthy foods — such as leafy greens, beans, whole grains and healthy fats — also supports the brain, affecting cognitive function over time.
“Nutrition is one important, modifiable lifestyle factor that may help support brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline over time,” said Lida Araghi, extension assistant professor and nutrition and food safety specialist for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
By Rebekah Hall
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Araghi said that there are many risk factors for dementia, including age, genetics, physical activity, sleep, chronic disease management and social connection.
“However, the foods we eat can influence blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and vascular health, all of which are connected to brain health,” Araghi said. “Put simply, what supports the heart also supports the brain.”
Araghi said nutrition supports brain health in several ways.
“Antioxidants and polyphenols from foods like berries and vegetables may help protect brain cells from oxidative stress,” she said. “Healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids from fish, help support brain cell structure and function. Fiber-rich foods such as beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables support gut health and help regulate blood sugar, which is important because the brain needs a steady supply of energy.
“Healthy eating patterns may also help reduce chronic inflammation and improve blood flow, helping deliver oxygen and nutrients to the brain,” Araghi said. “These effects may support memory, attention, learning and overall cognitive function over time.”
Heart- and brain-healthy diets
Araghi said it is important to focus on an overall eating pattern, rather than on a single “superfood” or specific nutrient.
“Research supports dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet,” Araghi said. “These patterns also limit foods high in saturated fat, added sugars, sodium and highly processed ingredients.”
Araghi said the Mediterranean diet emphasizes leafy greens, berries, beans and legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, seafood, poultry, and healthy fats like olive oil. Eating these food groups is often associated with good heart health and reduced inflammation.
The DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, was designed to help lower blood pressure. It also emphasizes fruits, vegetables and whole grains, along with low-fat dairy and lean proteins, while limiting sodium, Araghi said.
The MIND diet, which stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, combines features of both diets.
Benefits of the MIND diet
Nina Roofe, extension assistant vice president of family and consumer sciences for the Division of Agriculture, said the MIND diet is high in antioxidants, vitamins and healthy fats, which help with the following processes:
- Improves blood flow, which keeps the brain supplied with oxygen and nutrients.
- Lowers harmful proteins, which “helps remove beta-amyloid plaques, the protein clusters that build up between nerve cells in the brain and contribute to Alzheimer’s disease,” Roofe said.
- Provides brain fuel through omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins, which support memory and learning.
Roofe said the MIND diet focuses on daily and weekly recommendations for specific foods and food groups:
- Vegetables: Two or more servings per day, with at least one serving of leafy green vegetables per day.
- Berries: Two to five servings per week at a minimum, not including dried berries.
- Whole grains: Three or more servings per day, with an emphasis on grains that are minimally processed. “These provide the brain with steady energy,” Roofe said.
- Nuts and seeds: Five or more servings per week, including peanuts. “Nuts and seeds are a great source of healthy fats, which support brain function,” Roofe said.
- Beans: Three to four servings per week at a minimum.
- Seafood: One or more servings per week. “Focus on fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring or sardines,” Roofe said.
- Poultry: Two or more servings per week, with a focus on light meat without skin.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Two tablespoons per day. “This is specific to extra-virgin olive oil, not other types of olive or vegetable oils,” Roofe said.
“The MIND diet also recommends limiting red and processed meats, butter, cheese, fried foods, pastries and sweets,” Araghi said.
“What all of these diets have in common is that they are all pattern-based approaches,” Araghi said. “They are plant-forward, rich in fiber and antioxidants, include healthy fats and support cardiovascular health, which is closely linked with brain health.”
Start building healthy habits now
Roofe said that the “earlier you can incorporate a healthy eating pattern, the better the impact for preventing or delaying cognitive decline.”
Araghi also said it is never too early or too late to start making healthy changes.
“Brain health is shaped across the lifespan, and changes related to Alzheimer’s disease can begin many years before symptoms appear,” Araghi said. “Starting in your 30s and 40s gives people more time to support blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight management and inflammation, which may help protect the brain later in life.”
“That said, people in their 50s, 60s and beyond can still benefit from improving their eating patterns,” she said. “Older adults should not feel discouraged. Even modest improvements can support overall health, energy, cardiovascular health and quality of life.”
Araghi said that according to the National Institute on Aging, one observational study found that people who closely followed the MIND diet had up to a 53 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, while moderate adherence was associated with about a 35 percent lower risk.
Consistency, not perfection
Araghi said people can incorporate the Mediterranean, DASH or MIND eating patterns into their diets through small, realistic changes.
“This could look like adding a leafy green vegetable to a meal most days, choosing berries or nuts as a snack, adding beans to soups or salads, eating fish once a week, or replacing butter with olive oil when appropriate,” Araghi said.
Araghi added that brain-healthy eating does not have to be expensive or complicated.
“Frozen vegetables, frozen berries, canned beans, canned salmon or tuna, oats, peanut butter and whole grains can all fit into a brain-supportive eating pattern,” Araghi said. “The goal is consistency, not perfection.”
For more resources, visit the Health in Arkansas page on the Cooperative Extension Service website or check out the extension fact sheet on Healthy Eating for Brain Health and Healthy Living.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
