MIND Diet for Brain Health: How Nutrition Supports Cognitive Function and Aging

Some people diet to lose weight. Others focus on lowering blood pressure or improving heart health. But the MIND diet for brain health offers a unique approach. It not only supports your heart and body but is specifically designed to protect your cognitive function and reduce your risk of neurological decline.

The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet combines the best elements of two highly effective diets. The Mediterranean diet mainly focuses on a heart-healthy eating plan. DASH aims to treat or prevent hypertension or high blood pressure. By blending these approaches, the MIND diet emphasizes eating a variety of foods that ultimately benefit the nervous system and cognitive health. It is designed to target brain health and reduce the risk of some neurological diseases like dementia.

At Aviv Clinics, our clinical team includes nutritional coaches, and our medical program can incorporate regular dietary counseling, reflecting the vital role of diet when it comes to cognitive health. In fact, key findings of an Iowa State University research study show that the foods we eat may help reduce or prevent cognitive decline as we age.

Preventing or delaying dementia is critical as the National Institutes of Health predicts that dementia cases are expected to double in the United States by 2060, to one million new cases per year.

 

Key Nutrients for Brain Health on the MIND Diet

Your brain needs specific nutrients to function at its best, and the MIND diet for brain health emphasizes foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, choline, flavonoids, vitamin E, and B vitamins. These nutrients not only support memory and cognitive improvement but also help protect your brain. Specifically, these nutrients boast the following neuroprotective benefits:

• Omega-3 fatty acids: strengthen brain cell structure
• Choline: helps regulate memory, mood, and cognitive performance
• Flavonoids: regulate inflammation and improve blood flow
• Vitamin E: protects against inflammation
• B vitamins: aid in breaking down amino acids

The MIND diet provides all those essential nutrients. The diet omits or limits foods with ingredients that could negatively impact the brain, like saturated fats and trans fats, which are believed to be responsible for increasing beta-amyloid protein levels in the brain. This protein accumulates in the brain and can disrupt communication between brain cells and ultimately lead to brain cell death.

Eating foods that contain these unhealthy fats has been associated with a double risk of Alzheimer’s disease. 

Examples of foods containing saturated fats and trans fats are red meats, processed foods, and fried foods, which can affect cognition.

Foods containing antioxidants and vitamins, like those suggested as part of the MIND diet, may prevent the formation of these beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. Many plant-based foods, like fruits and vegetables, contain phytonutrients and antioxidants.

Omega-3 and Omega-9 Fats for Cognitive Function

More than half of your brain is made up of omega-3 fats. Your body needs foods rich in omega-3 fats to provide the necessary protective anti-inflammatory benefits. Inflammation increases the beta-amyloid plaques as well as the risk for neurodegeneration.

The healthier polyunsaturated fats found in fish oils, flaxseed, walnuts, and cold-water fish, for example, and monounsaturated fats, which have anti-inflammatory properties, obtained from eating avocado, nuts, and seeds, all provide the essential omega-3 and omega-9 fats for optimum brain health.

Brain-Healthy Foods Included in the MIND Diet

Incorporating foods rich in phytonutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants can help protect your brain as you age and reduce the risk of cognitive decline. These nutrients are also key components of the Mediterranean diet.

Foods That Support Long-Term Brain Health

• Green, leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, and cooked green salads. Aim for six or more servings per week.
• All other colorful vegetables. Shoot for one of these in addition to the green, leafy vegetables at least once a day.
• Berries. Touted for their antioxidant benefits, berries should be eaten twice per week. Examples: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries.
• Nuts. Vary the type of nuts you eat to reap an array of nutrients. Try to get five servings of nuts or more a week. Watch your calories.
• Olive oil. Use olive oil as your main cooking oil. Watch your portions.
• Whole grains. Oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, and 100% whole-wheat bread are healthy whole-grain options. Aim for at least three servings daily.
• Fish. Choose fatty fish like salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, and mackerel for their high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Aim for a fish serving at least once a week.
• Beans, lentils, and soybeans. Include beans in at least four meals every week.
• Poultry. Incorporate chicken or turkey at least twice per week. Avoid fried chicken.
• Wine. Either white or red wine, one glass daily, is acceptable. The compound resveratrol, found in red wine, may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease.

Foods to Limit for Optimal Cognitive Health

• Butter and margarine. If you can’t resist, limit your intake to less than one tablespoon daily.
• Cheese. Limit your cheese consumption to less than once per week.
• Red meat. Aim for no more than three servings each week. Meats included are beef, pork, lamb, and products made from them.
• Fried food. The MIND diet highly discourages fried food, especially from fast-food restaurants. Limit consumption to less than once per week.
• Pastries and sweets. Processed junk food and desserts are unhealthy. Limit your intake of ice cream, cookies, brownies, snack cakes, doughnuts, candy, and other sweets to no more than four times a week.

How the MIND Diet Plan Works: Practical Tips for Brain-Healthy Eating

Following the MIND diet is simple and adaptable, making it easy to incorporate a variety of brain-healthy foods into your daily routine. Plus, the more variety of fruits and vegetables you incorporate, the better. By combining the elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, this approach promotes long-term cognitive wellness while also supporting heart health and healthy aging.

While it’s best to choose fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season, frozen or canned alternatives are acceptable. If you do choose frozen or canned fruits or vegetables, drain and place them in a bowl of water for about 20 minutes to leach any added preservatives or flavoring the manufacturer may have included.

If you experience intestinal issues after eating a fruit or vegetable that’s out of season, it could be because the food wasn’t able to mature naturally, which makes it more difficult for your digestive system to break it down. A good way to ensure you’re practicing seasonal eating is buying produce from your local farmer’s market.

Integrating the MIND Diet Into Daily Routines

The MIND diet encourages a diversity of healthy foods designed to deliver many brain health benefits. If you’re not a big fruit eater, then consume more vegetables. If you’re not a fan of vegetables, choose more fruit varieties. The goal is to reap the benefits of the brain-healthy nutrients found in these two food groups.

The Bottom Line: Nutrition for Cognitive Health and Aging

Researchers are learning more every day about the link between cognition and dieting. As you age and the risk of developing memory disorders like dementia increases, laying a firm foundation for healthier eating will become vital to maintaining quality of life as we age.

Enhancing the MIND Diet with the Aviv Medical Program

As leaders in brain performance, the expert clinicians at Aviv Clinics help keep your mind and body healthy for years to come. In addition to nutrition guidance, the personalized therapies in the groundbreaking Aviv Medical Program can include a unique hyperbaric oxygen therapy protocol designed to enhance cognitive and physical function and trigger the body’s natural self-generation abilities.

Discover how targeted nutrition and the Aviv Medical Program can support long-term cognitive health and overall wellness.  Contact us for a complimentary consultation today.

 

FAQs: MIND Diet for Brain Health

What is the MIND diet and how does it support brain health?

The MIND diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) combines Mediterranean and DASH diet principles. It emphasizes vegetables, berries, nuts, whole grains, fish, and olive oil to support overall brain function while also limiting foods associated with the risk of cognitive decline.

Can the MIND diet prevent dementia?

Research suggests that consistent adherence to the MIND diet may lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia by promoting neuroprotective nutrients and reducing inflammation in the brain.

How does the MIND diet differ from the Mediterranean diet?

While both diets emphasize plant-based foods and healthy fats, the MIND diet specifically targets brain health by prioritizing leafy greens and berries, while limiting foods associated with cognitive decline, such as red meat, butter, and pastries.

How can I make the MIND diet work in daily life?

Focus on variety and seasonal produce, include at least six servings of leafy greens per week, two servings of berries, and moderate fish, poultry, nuts, and whole grains. Avoid fried foods, red meat, and sugary treats. Personalized nutritional coaching, like the guidance offered at Aviv Clinics, can help tailor the plan to your lifestyle.

Is the MIND diet effective for aging and overall cognitive performance?

Yes. Studies show the MIND diet supports healthy aging by improving cognitive resilience, memory, and executive function, especially when combined with physical activity, cognitive exercises, and other strategies like those incorporated into the Aviv Medical Program.

 

Last Updated: November 26, 2025