Two diets have taken the realm of health and wellness by storm: the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet.

The Mediterranean diet is the clear winner when it comes to cardiovascular health. Meanwhile, the DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is the best choice for people with high blood pressure. Both diets have also exhibited some ability to protect the brain from cognitive decline.

But there’s a new diet based on the Mediterranean and DASH diets that can help prevent cognitive decline and support heart health in the process. This diet is known as the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet.

The aptly named MIND diet emphasizes eating certain foods that can help slow cognitive decline, as shown by recent studies. It was first described in an article published in 2015. It’s thought that the MIND diet is more effective at slowing cognitive decline than either the Mediterranean or DASH diets alone.

The MIND diet also names groups of foods to avoid based on their adverse effects on the brain.

Read on to learn more about the MIND diet and its benefits.

Two diets combined

The Mediterranean, DASH and MIND diets share certain similarities. But the MIND diet stands out because of three main things. First, the MIND diet emphasizes eating green leafy vegetables, such as kale and spinach.

Green leafy vegetables have been shown to be particularly beneficial for brain health because they are excellent sources of folate, vitamin E and carotenoids. Folate plays an important role in forming brain chemicals and regulating mood. Vitamin E and carotenoids, on the other hand, protect the brain from oxidative stress.

Previous studies suggest that eating at least one serving a day of green leafy vegetables (1/2 cup if cooked) may help slow brain aging.

The second thing that makes the MIND diet stand out is its emphasis on berries. According to previous studies, people who ate the most berries had the slowest rates of cognitive decline. That’s why the MIND diet recommends eating two or more servings of berries per week.

Finally, the MIND diet also emphasizes the consumption of nuts and fatty fish, both of which are full of omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats are thought to fight inflammation and maintain brain structure in aging brains.

Top health benefits of the MIND diet

The MIND diet hasn’t been around very long, but existing studies on the subject have shown promising results. Here are some of the science-backed benefits of the MIND diet:

1. It helps lower inflammation. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain various nutrients and plant compounds with anti-inflammatory properties, such as vitamin C, zinc and flavonoids. Omega-3 fatty acids in nuts and fatty fish also help reduce inflammation.
2. It helps prevent cognitive decline. Antioxidants in foods included in the MIND diet protect your brain from oxidative stress, which contributes to cognitive decline. In fact, a 2015 study showed that people who followed the MIND diet the closest experienced a slower decline in their brain function compared to people who followed the diet the least.
3. It provides antioxidants. Most of the foods on the MIND diet are rich in antioxidants, such as berries, green leafy vegetables and nuts.
4. It supports healthy heart function. The omega-3 fatty acids in nuts and fish keep your heart healthy by protecting it from inflammation. They also prevent fatty deposits from clogging your arteries.
5. It supports healthy digestion. Many of the components of the MIND diet contain insoluble fiber. This type of fiber keeps food moving through your digestive system and promotes normal bowel movement.
6. It helps control blood sugar levels. Fruits, vegetables and legumes are rich in soluble fiber. This type of fiber helps control your blood sugar levels by slowing the absorption of sugar in your gut.

What to eat and avoid

The MIND diet is pretty straightforward about what you can and can’t eat. If you’re trying out the diet, just add more of the approved foods to your plate. Take note that the servings listed below are only the minimum number of servings you should try to meet. It’s always better if you can eat more servings weekly.

Foods to eat:

• Green leafy vegetables – Six servings or more per week
• Other non-starchy vegetables – At least once a day
• Healthy oils – Use as cooking oil as needed
• Nuts – Five servings per week
• Berries – At least twice a week
• Legumes – At least twice a week
• Whole grains – Three servings per day
• Fatty fish – At least once a week
• Poultry – At least twice a week
• Wine – No more than once a day

Foods to avoid:

• Red meat (e.g., pork, grain-fed beef)
• Butter and margarine
• Processed cheese (e.g., cheddar, mozzarella)
• Sweets
• Fried foods and fast food

The MIND diet emphasizes foods that especially benefit your mind and your heart. If you want to give it a shot, make sure to eat more of the approved foods listed above and avoid those that can harm your brain.