I'm A Brain Health Expert: 3 Foods I Eat Daily For Alzheimer's Prevention

As a physician, culinary instructor, and founder of the Brain Health Kitchen, I've spent the last decade studying the impact of food on fending off Alzheimer's and other types of dementia. In the process, I've learned that even those with a family history of Alzheimer's can reduce their risk by eating a brain-healthy dietary pattern. 

There is robust evidence1 to show that berries support brain health, thanks to their impressive concentration of polyphenols, all packaged in an irresistibly tasty fiber-rich matrix. Fiber—with its ability to lower harmful blood cholesterol and cultivate good gut bugs—is key for brain health.

Eating just one handful of leafy green vegetables a day has a powerful impact on brain health. In the Memory and Aging Project study2 of 960 adults, the leafy green eaters showed better performance on memory testing and a slower rate of cognitive decline. Researchers estimate that getting a daily dose of leafy greens translates to taking 11 years off the brain's age.

Think grains are bad for the brain? Grains have been vilified as a bad player in brain health. This is partially true; most of the grains consumed in the U.S. are in the form of refined, ultra-processed foods—pastries, crackers, cakes, muffins, bagels, white bread, flour tortillas, cookies, and frozen pizza.

Now that I've shared my three go-to foods let's explore how they fit into a larger brain-healthy eating pattern.

The Mediterranean-style diet

"Mediterranean-style dietary pattern" is a general term to describe the Mediterranean diet (which emphasizes eating vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts, fish and seafood, all drizzled in generous servings of olive oil), the MIND diet 5(a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets), or the Green MED diet 6(the Mediterranean diet boosted with antioxidant-rich foods). 

All of these Mediterranean-style diets hit high marks for protecting cognitive health. According to recent studies, they may help boost performance on memory tests, help us accumulate less brain-damaging proteins (like amyloid and tau), and reduce one's risk of developing Alzheimer's.

In a landmark study5 from Rush University, close followers of the MIND diet were 53% less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's 4.5 years later. Even following the diet occasionally yielded significant brain health gains: a 37% reduced risk of getting Alzheimer's. In a follow-up randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial, MIND diet eaters showed cognitive gains in just two years. 

Another DIRECT PLUS study6 looked at boosting the traditional Mediterranean diet with foods known to be neuroprotective: walnuts, green tea, and leafy greens. This "Green MED diet" was compared to the traditional Mediterranean diet using high-tech brain scans to measure brain volume over 18 months. Both groups were encouraged to exercise and cut back on processed meat7 (a food found to accelerate cognitive decline). The Green MED eaters had even more robust brain volume than those following a traditional Mediterranean diet, a sign of cognitive health.

Heritage dietary patterns

The African, Asian, and Latin American dietary guidelines are traditional ways of eating that span centuries. While the Mediterranean diet may be the most studied of the brain-protective dietary patterns, these heritage dietary patterns provide a similar menu of neuroprotective foods.

An important part of getting used to brain-healthy eating is choosing foods that fit your background and lifestyle. In other words, choose from the neuroprotective foods you love eating, enjoy cooking, and fit within your budget. And if you grew up eating from one of these heritage dietary patterns, don't ignore your food roots.

Research has found that a Mediterranean diet or variation of the Mediterranean diet can help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's. But some foods, such as ultra-processed junk foods, can actually accelerate cognitive decline.