Not Medicine, Not Exercise: Scientists Say This Simple Change Could Slow Brain Aging

Healthy aging typically involves a multi-pronged approach that includes habits to promote good physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Brain aging also plays a key role in all aspects of your health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes how regular exercise is specifically linked to a decreased risk of dementia and overall cognitive decline. Yet it's possible you might be overlooking simple changes to your lifestyle that could support healthy brain aging, and these are outside of strength and stamina. Eating foods set forth by the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet is one such change you might consider, as it may help slow down brain aging thanks to its emphasis on nutrient- and antioxidant-rich foods.

As its name indicates, the MIND diet actually consists of a combination of two different healthy eating patterns. These include the Mediterranean diet as well as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension plan. Overall, the MIND diet takes a lot of what these two eating patterns have in common, like their focus on consuming more plant-based foods, such as beans, legumes, nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Lean meats and low-fat dairy are also permitted in small amounts. However, plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables have the greatest emphasis in protecting your brain health due to their high levels of antioxidants, per the Alzheimer's Association. Over time, proponents believe that following the MIND eating pattern can possibly protect the brain from premature or rapid decline.

The benefits of the MIND diet for healthy brain aging have been widely studied over the last several years with some promising results. For example, one study in Alzheimer's & Dementia published in 2015 followed 960 participants over an average of nearly five years of following the MIND diet. Researchers found that more closely following the MIND diet was directly associated with slower cognitive decline in older adults. A more recent longitudinal study published in 2026 also had similar findings that were recorded over the course of 10 years. The results were based on observational data collected from 1,647 middle-aged and older adults. Researchers noted slower decline in grey matter volume (a key marker for cognitive decline in imaging tests) in the brain among participants that followed the MIND diet.

Yet another study published in 2023 in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed some nuances about the effects of the MIND diet in older, overweight adults with a family history of dementia. Here, researchers compared cognition and MRI test results of 301 participants following the MIND diet versus 303 following a control diet focused on mild calorie restriction. While those following the MIND diet showed better cognitive function after three years, the authors noted that overall cognitive scores and brain changes revealed on MRIs were not clinically significant between the two groups. Their findings suggest the complexities of overweight and brain health in older adults, as well as the fact that the MIND diet might require a longer-term adherence to show significant results.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the MIND diet has specific food suggestions on both a daily and weekly basis. For example, at least two servings of vegetables are encouraged daily, along with at least one of those consisting of leafy greens. At least three servings of whole grains are also recommended, as well as up to two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. If you decide to follow the MIND diet, you should also incorporate at least three servings of beans and five servings of nuts and seeds per week. Fresh or frozen (not dried) berries are also encouraged in up to five servings per week. The Cleveland Clinic recommends focusing on one or more servings of fatty fish per week, as well as two or more servings of light meat poultry in the same timeframe.

As with other healthy eating patterns, the MIND diet discourages eating too many sugary foods, as well as those that are high in saturated fats or are highly processed. Also on that list are red meats (an eating habit that could increase early death risk), fried foods, lunch meats, and full-fat dairy products such as cheese and butter.

Whether you decide to choose the MIND diet for your brain health or follow another eating pattern, know that diet is best complemented with other lifestyle choices conducive to healthy brain aging while rethinking habits linked to poor cognitive health. Finally, while a closer adherence to the MIND diet maximizes your overall brain health, it's important to know that even introducing the eating pattern into your routine on a more gradual basis may still offer some benefits.