Quiz: The MIND Diet and Dementia Prevention

The MIND diet was developed from research conducted through the Rush Memory and Aging Project, which focused on factors associated with memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers specifically wanted to examine how diet could serve as a preventive measure against Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline.

Researchers developed the MIND diet score based partly on the Mediterranean and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets. Both of these eating patterns had already been shown to benefit brain health. The resulting MIND diet incorporates many of the plant-based and heart-healthy principles of both diets while placing additional emphasis on foods believed to specifically support cognitive function.

Leafy green vegetables are one of the two food groups that emphasized in the MIND diet. These vegetables are rich in folate, vitamin E, carotenoids and flavonoids, which are nutrients that have been associated with a lower risk of dementia and cognitive decline.

Berries contain anthocyanins and flavonoids, plant compounds associated with improved memory and slower cognitive decline.