A new study suggests that following a “Mediterranean” diet rich in seafood, fruits, vegetables, nuts and olive oil may reduce the risk of age-related brain diseases.
The study appears published in the journal BMC Medicine Medical experts say the Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
A diet rich in vegetables, nuts, whole grains and fish reduced the risk of dementia by nearly a quarter, even among people at higher genetic risk.
The study relied on analyzing the data of more than 60,000 elderly people.
Lead author of the study, Oliver Shannon, Lecturer in Human Nutrition and Aging at Newcastle University, said: “The main message from this study is that even for individuals with a higher genetic risk, eating a diet more similar to the Mediterranean diet can reduce the likelihood of dementia.”
Shannon said in an email to the network NBC News The people in the study typically ate less red or processed meat, sweets and pastries, and drank fewer sugar-sweetened beverages.
According to Shannon, the weekly food intake to achieve an “ideal Mediterranean” diet includes olive oil as the main cooking fat, two or more servings of vegetables per day, and 3 or more servings of fruit per day.
It also includes less than one serving of red meat per day, less than one serving of butter, margarine or cream per day, and less than one sugar-sweetened beverage per day.
The diet also includes 3 or more servings of legumes, such as beans, lentils or peanuts, per week, 3 or more servings of fish per week, and less than 2 servings of sweets or pastries per week.
It also includes 3 or more servings of nuts per week, and 2 or more servings of tomato sauce per week.