The Mediterranean diet is the winner when it comes to heart health. For patients with high blood pressure, the DASH diet is the best choice. Both these diets have shown the ability to protect the brain from cognitive decline. Today, it appears that a diet composed of the brain-beneficial foods in these diets may help shield stroke survivors from developing dementia within the 10 years after their stroke.

The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet focuses on eating specific food groups, which have been associated with slower cognitive decline in clinical studies. Based on adverse effects on the brain, the diet also names the groups of foods to avoid.

10 foods to eat on a MIND diet
The MIND diet encourages the consumption of the following foods:

  • Green, leafy vegetable– When on the MIND diet, you should aim to consume at least five to six serving of green, leafy vegetable every week. You can include spinach, kale, salads, and cooked greens in your meals.
  • All other vegetables– It is not just leafy vegetables that add up to the health of the brain but other vegetables too. You should try to eat another vegetable along with the green leafy vegetable at least once a day. It is best to choose non-starchy vegetables as they are high in nutrients and low in calories.
  • Berries– It is advisable to consume berries at least twice a week. Although the published research only includes strawberries, you must also consume other variety of berries like blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries for their antioxidant benefits.
  • Nuts– You should try to get five or more servings of nuts each week. Although the creators of the MIND diet do not specify what kind of nuts to consume, it is probably best to vary the types of nuts you eat in order to obtain a variety of nutrients.
  • Olive oil– You should use olive oil as the main cooking oil for all your foods. With its antioxidant properties, olive oil is considered the safest cooking oil. It is resistant to heating up and emitting smoke that can be very harmful. For best result, you must use virgin olive oil.
  • Whole grains– When following the MIND diet, you should aim for a minimum of three servings of whole grains daily. You can choose from a variety of whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and 100% whole wheat bread.
  • Fish– Fish must be eaten at least once a week. Ideally, you should choose fatty fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, and mackerel are very rich in omega three fatty acid.
  • Beans– Beans, including all beans, soybeans, and lentils, should be consumed at least in four meals a week.
  • Poultry– At least twice a week you should eat chicken or turkey. However, MIND diet does not encourage eating fried chicken.
  • Wine– Aim for not more than one glass of wine daily. Both red and white wine may be beneficial for the brain. However, much research has focused on the red wine compound “resveratrol” that may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease.