Studies suggest that introducing more leafy greens into our diet could lower our risk of dementia.

But how many greens should we be looking to consume a week?

And what does the evidence really tell us about diet and dementia?

Keep reading to find out!

Diet and dementia: Leafy greens are a go-ahead

A new study by the National Institute of Aging suggests that eating leafy greens such as spinach every day can reduce a person’s risk of Dementia.

According to The Express, the study focused on the relationship between diet and dementia and found that those eating leafy greens six times a week were linked to slower cognitive decline during the ageing process.

What are the types of foods I should be eating to potentially reduce my risk of Dementia?

According to the National Institute of Aging, a variation of the Mediterranean diet referred to as the MIND diet shows some positive evidence in reducing high blood pressure which is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

This diet has a focus on plant-based foods which are known to have a link to dementia prevention. The 10 healthy food groups that it promotes include:

• 6 servings a week of leafy green vegetables
• 1 serving a day of other vegetables
• 2 servings a week of berries
• 3 servings a day of whole grains
• 1 serving a week of fish
• 2 servings a week of poultry
• 3 servings a week of beans
• 5 servings a week of nuts

On this diet, there is room for limited consumption of red meats, sweets, cheese, butter and fast food, but generally, they tend to be avoided.

So, what is the evidence?

The evidence is really promising when we look at the results of people who followed the MIND diet out of the 116 adults studied. The National Insitute of Aging reported the following evidence:

The evidence:

• Those who followed a Mediterranean or MIND diet had thicker cortical tissue than those that did not.

What this means: 

• When an individual is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s it is these brain regions that tend to shrink, so having a thicker region could be a cognitive benefit later down the line.

The evidence:

• Those who didn’t follow a mediterranean diet closely showed lower glucose metabolism and higher levels of beta-amyloid protein compared to those who did.

What this means:

• Lower glucose metabolism and higher levels of beta-amyloid protein are both seen in Alzheimer’s so measures to avoid this are beneficial.

Further evidence:

• Analysis suggests that those who adhered most closely to the MIND diet had a 53% reduced rate of Alzheimer’s disease compared to those who did not follow the diet closely.

An Important note

These studies are very promising and they have enabled us to learn more about dementia and its possible causes. However it’s important to note that currently there is no cure for dementia, so it’s vital that we continue to work hard to support those living with dementia. 

If you need our assistance or would like to discover more about what we do here at the Me2U Centre simply give us a call on 07888 649822.