What is the MIND diet and how does it work?
We choose diet plans based on a combination of the nutritional benefits, our preferences and our goals. But a lot of us mostly think about the physical benefits of nutrition. Even though we know that our brains are part of our bodies, most folks just don’t consider brain health when they make nutritional choices. But in reality, what could be more important than the health of the organ that controls all our other organs? The MIND diet is a nutritional plan designed to feed your brain — and the rest of your body, too.
What is the MIND diet?
The MIND diet was created by combining the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, a meal plan used to help reduce blood pressure. The goal was to provide clear guidance on what to eat — and what to skip — to slow age-related brain dysfunction. Researchers coined it the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diet, a.k.a. the MIND diet.
How does the MIND diet work?
It’s estimated that 5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease — that’s one out of 10 Americans over the age of 65. Researchers from Rush University in Chicago developed a diet plan to try to beat this somber statistic. Research shows that both rigorous — and even moderate — adherence to the MIND diet may help reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 50%. Studies also show that the MIND diet may reduce the symptoms of Parkinson Disease.
So, how does it work?
In short, the MIND diet works by maximizing the number of foods you eat that are healthy for the brain and limiting the amount of food that are not. The MIND diet is based on 15 foods — 10 that benefit the brain and five that may hurt it.
With its focus on eating a variety of plant-based foods like leafy greens, vegetables and fruit, along with limiting sugar and saturated fat, many experts agree that the MIND diet is a healthy eating plan with a number of benefits.
Michele Rudolphi, a registered dietitian in Fort Wayne, Ind., recommends the diet to her clients. “Not only is this diet whole-foods based, it is high in plant foods (specifically vegetables) which are typically lacking in the typical American diet. With my clients, I also find that not only does it help to stabilize their blood sugar throughout the day, preventing cravings, it also helps them enjoy the flavors found in whole foods again,” Rudolphi told TODAY.
Dr. Susan Fox, a vascular surgeon in Hollywood, Florida explained that the diet “is high in vitamins and minerals naturally occurring in beans, legumes and vegetables which promote a brain-healthy diet without the peaks and valleys of insulin and sugar disruption.”
The 10 foods to eat on the MIND diet
- Leafy green vegetables
- Vegetables
- Nuts
- Berries
- Olive oil
- Whole grains
- Beans
- Fish
- Poultry
- Wine
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The 5 foods to avoid on the MIND diet
- Sugary foods (sweets and pastries)
- Saturated and trans fats (like butter and margarine)
- Red meat
- Fried food
- Cheese
The dos and don’ts of the MIND diet
The MIND diet is more of an eating strategy than a regimen. That being said, the are some recommended guidelines.
Do:
- Eat vegetables every day.
- Eat whole grains every day.
- Eat nuts most days.
- Eat a half-cup of beans every other day.
- Eat at least 7 cup-sized servings of leafy greens a week.
- Eat 5 half-cup servings of berries per week.
- Eat poultry 2 times a week.
- Eat fish 1 time per week.
- Drinking wine is optional
Don’t:
- Use butter or margarine. Replace them with olive oil.
- Eat red meat more than 4 times a week.
- Eat more than 5 servings of pastries or sweets per week.
Eat more than 2 ounces of of full fat cheese a week. Should you try the MIND diet?
If your lifestyle goals include better brain health, along with maintaining healthy blood sugar and blood pressure levels, the MIND diet is a good option to try.
Whether you go all in, or take a slow and steady approach, the MIND diet may be a great first step towards adopting healthier eating habits.
Start by adding in more color in your diet, especially green, blue, red and purple fruits and vegetables.
Swap refined grain foods with more whole grains like quinoa, brown rice and 100% whole-grain bread. Limit your consumption of red and red processed meat to no more than once a week and cut down on sweets by eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages.
MIND diet recipes
SALAD BASE
- 1 small head green cabbage (or iceberg lettuce), finely diced
- 3-4 cucumbers, finely diced
- 1/4 cup chives, finely diced
- 1 bundle green onion or scallions
GREEN GODDESS DRESSING
- juice of 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small shallot
- 1/3 cup chives (optional)
- 1/4 cup walnuts, cashews or nut of choice
- 1 cup fresh torn basil leaves
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
Preparation
1.
Place all salad ingredients in a big bowl.
2.
Add all liquid dressing ingredients to a blender, then add the dry dressing ingredients and blend until smooth.
3.
Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Enjoy!
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Curtis Stone's Roast Chicken and Veggie Farro Salad
ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup cooked farro (or other whole grain, such as quinoa)
- 2 cups fresh baby kale
- 1 roasted chicken breast, sliced
- 2 roasted carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 roasted parsnip, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- Additional accompaniments: shaved fresh fennel, shaved fresh radish, shaved celery and/or chopped roasted almonds
Preparation
In small bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, shallot and mustard. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
Divide farro between 2 wide pasta bowls. Top with kale, roasted chicken and veg and additional accompaniments. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve immediately.
Chickpeas alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 1 cup prepared marinara sauce
- 3/4 cup oat milk or creamer
- 3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- basil leaves, for serving
- finely grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)
Preparation
1.
In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown, about 8 minutes.
2.
Stir in the tomato paste and crushed red pepper and cook until sizzling, about 30 seconds. Carefully add the vodka (turning off the flame is the safest way to do this) and cook for 30 seconds, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the marinara sauce and oat milk and bring to a simmer. Add the chickpeas and cook until hot and coated in a light sauce, 2 to 3 minutes.
3.
Garnish with basil leaves and serve with grated Parmesan cheese, if using.