a 21% increase in dementia risk.
Those with the lowest scores consumed about 20 servings of fruit, 19 of vegetables, 4 of beans or other legumes, and 11 of coffee or tea each week. In contrast, people with the highest scores ate about 9 servings of fruit, 10 of vegetables, 2 of legumes, and 9 of coffee or tea per week.
What should you eat to help boost brain health?
Dr. Holland offers some suggestions:
“Berries, dark leafy greens, nuts, whole wheat, garlic, onions, peppers, tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, non-fried dark fish, and poultry,” he suggests.
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These foods may decrease the strength and/or duration of the inflammatory process in your body and brain, Holland says. Some act as antioxidants, which sop up damaging free radicals and lower inflammation.
“Avoiding a Western-type diet pattern is also important, including reduced intake of whole-fat dairy, fried or fast foods, pastries and red meat,” he adds.
Holland notes that pro-inflammatory foods can lead to uncontrolled inflammation and damage.
“If that damage occurs in the brain, the potential to develop dementia exists,” he shares.
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“In general, a diet with more fruits, vegetables, beans, tea or coffee is a more anti-inflammatory one,” Scarmeas adds.
RELATED: This Diet Could Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
For brain health, Holland recommends the MIND diet, the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet. All three center on lean meats, fish, whole grains, fresh produce and olive oil. The MIND (or Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet combines elements from the Mediterranean and DASH diets and was specifically designed to help combat dementia.
Brain health is an important part of the way we function on a daily basis. With these tips, hopefully, you’ll be able to promote healthy brain health, decrease your risk of dementia and live a long and healthy life.
