MIND Diet – The Best Food for Your Brain and Body | Hardworkout Magazine

Key takeaways

- The MIND diet combines the Mediterranean and DASH diets, with a specific focus on foods linked to brain health and a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

- Studies cited in the article report that people who follow the MIND diet closely can reduce their risk of Alzheimer's disease by up to 53%, with smaller reductions for moderate adherence.

- The diet recommends leafy green vegetables at least six times a week, berries at least twice a week, three servings of whole grains daily, fish at least once a week and olive oil as the main fat source.

- Because the MIND diet is not especially high in protein, people who train a lot may need to increase their protein intake to meet their needs.

What is the MIND diet, and what does the name stand for?

The MIND diet is a research-based diet that combines elements from both the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, but with a special focus on promoting good brain health and reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

The name “MIND” stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. The diet is about eating more of the foods that recent [research](https://alzres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13195-022-00957-1) has shown can protect the brain, and limiting foods that may have a negative effect on cognitive health.

How the MIND Diet Works

To make the diet easy to follow, the diet is divided into two categories; foods you should eat often and foods you should limit your intake of.

The more you can stick to the foods you should eat often, which support good brain health, the greater health benefits you will receive.

You can achieve many of the positive health benefits even if you do not follow the diet perfectly.

The Diet Recommends Eating More of This

Foods that are recommended to be eaten regularly are rich in fiber, healthy fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals that reduce inflammation, support blood flow, and protect brain cells from aging.

Leafy green vegetables (e.g., spinach, kale): at least 6 times per week

Other vegetables: daily

Berries (especially blueberries and strawberries): at least 2 times per week

Whole grains: 3 servings daily

Nuts: almost daily

Legumes (lentils, beans): several times a week

Fish: at least once a week

Poultry (chicken, turkey): twice a week

Olive oil: as the main fat source

Wine: up to one glass per day (optional)


Eat Less of This Food

It is also about reducing the intake of foods high in saturated fat and processed products that can negatively affect brain health over time.

Red meat: max 4 times per week

Butter and margarine: max 1 tbsp per day

Cheese: max once a week

Sweets and pastries: max 5 times per week

Fried food and fast food: max once a week

Benefits of the MIND Diet

Brain-protective effect: [Studies](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26086182/) have shown that those who closely follow the MIND diet can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by up to 53%, and even those who follow the diet moderately may see a significant reduction in risk.

Heart and vascular health: Since the diet is based on Mediterranean and DASH principles, it has documented effects on lowering blood pressure and improving cholesterol.

Flexible and moderate: There are no strict rules – the diet allows for variation and adaptation, and is based on foods that most people are already familiar with.

Weight loss and weight maintenance: Although weight loss is not the main goal, one can lose weight by following the diet because it promotes healthy and filling food choices.


Disadvantages of the MIND Diet

Not the best diet for weight loss: The MIND diet does not provide rapid weight loss, which can be demotivating for some.

Requires planning: Eating enough berries, leafy greens, and whole grains each week requires some planning and cooking.

Some foods can be expensive or hard to obtain: Organic berries, olive oil, and fish can be expensive or difficult to find year-round.

Not optimal for all fitness goals: The diet is not particularly high in protein, so those who train a lot may need to increase their protein intake to meet their needs.

How many calories does each day in the meal plan contain?

This meal plan has a good balance between various protein sources, fiber-rich and slow carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

The daily menus vary between 1900-2100 calories, but all recipes can be adjusted to fit your caloric needs.

Monday

For breakfast, there will be blueberry oatmeal, which provides a good start to the day with antioxidants, fiber, and slow energy.

Lunch will be a whole grain wrap with hummus and turkey, which is rich in protein and a well-balanced meal for satiety and focus.

For dinner, there will be grilled mackerel with lentils and yogurt dressing, which is a nutrient-dense meal with plant protein and healthy fatty acids.

Snack will be some Greek yogurt with nuts and berries, a protein-rich snack with healthy fatty acids and antioxidants.

- Breakfast: [Blueberry Oatmeal](https://hardworkout.no/blabaer-havregrot-med-valnotter-og-kanel/)

- Lunch: [Whole Grain Wrap with Hummus and Turkey](https://hardworkout.no/fullkornswrap-med-hummus-spinat-og-kalkun/)

- Dinner: [Grilled Mackerel with Lentils and Yogurt Dressing](https://hardworkout.no/naeringstett-og-balansert-mat-grillet-makrell-med-linser-og-yoghurtdressing/)

- Snack: 150 g Greek yogurt with 100 g berries and 20 g nuts.

Total: 2069 calories.


Tuesday

For breakfast, there will be blueberry oatmeal, which provides a good start to the day with antioxidants, fiber, and slow energy.

Lunch will be a whole grain wrap with hummus and turkey, which is rich in protein and a well-balanced meal for satiety and focus.