By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, giving us an opportunity to discuss the relationship between diet and brain health.

Nutrition can have a big impact on the development of diseases, including those that affect the brain. It can also play a complementary role in treatment and management. Read on to learn more about the effects of diet in preventing and managing brain diseases.

Links Between Diet and Brain Health

Several studies have associated poor diet with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Specifically, these diseases may stem from oxidative stress and inflammation, which can be influenced by the foods you eat. Diet may also play a role by contributing to altered gut bacteria and obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, which are risk factors for Alzheimer’s.

Eating too many foods that are high in added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium, while not getting enough plant foods, fiber, healthy fats, and micronutrients, can lead to poor health. Over time, these nutrition patterns may contribute to the mechanisms that underlie Alzheimer’s disease and other brain issues.

A relationship between certain dietary patterns and the development of anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders has also been documented. While more research is needed to fully understand the relationship, it’s clear that food choices impact the brain.

Eating for Optimal Brain Health

The best diet for promoting brain health appears to be one that reduces markers of inflammation and addresses risk factors for Alzheimer’s. The Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets are considered two of the best eating patterns for the brain.

In recent years, researchers have studied the effects of a combined Mediterranean and DASH diet known as the MIND diet. This style of eating includes foods that have been associated with slowing or preventing cognitive decline.

The general guidelines of the MIND diet recommend eating leafy green vegetables, other vegetables, berries, nuts, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, and olive oil. Fried foods, sweets, red meats, cheese, and butter should be limited. Check out our detailed post on the MIND diet for more information.

Certain foods in particular may be especially helpful for promoting brain health. For example, seafood high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and mackerel, may help reduce the development of brain plaques seen in Alzheimer’s disease. However, more trials in humans are needed.

Eating leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and lettuce, has been linked to slower cognitive decline. Other foods that have been shown to fight inflammation, such as berries, turmeric, and olive oil, may also help prevent brain disease but have not been extensively studied in connection to dementias.

Overall, having a well-balanced diet that’s rich in plant foods and incorporates seafood, other lean proteins, and sources of healthy fats is a step in the right direction for protecting your brain.

Note from Healthy For Life Meals: Our menus are loaded with foods that may help boost brain health! Check out our menus and order one of our fresh, 1200 calorie, 1500 calorie, or 2000 calorie per day meal plans, and we’ll help you maintain a nutritionally balanced diet so that you can reap the health benefits.