MIND Diet: A Complete Guide For Beginners; Know What To Eat And Avoid To Improve Brain Health

Weight loss diets are quite famous. You might not know that there is a brain diet too. Yes, its true, a diet plan called the MIND diet emphasises on foods that have a positive impact on your brain health. This diet offers several health benefits to your brain and prevents the risk of diseases associated with the brain like dementia or age-related loss of brain function. If you want to sharpen your brain then you must try this diet. Here are basics of the MIND diet that you must know before making any modifications to your current diet.

MIND diet: Basics you need to know

MIND stands for the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. It is a combination of two popular diets Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet which is Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension. This diet tries to prevent dementia and age-related brain decline.

Also read: Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension: Beginner's Guide To The DASH Diet

Foods to eat on a MIND diet

Here's a list of foods you can eat when following a MIND diet-

1. Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and salads
2. Lots and lots of vegetables- choose non-starchy vegetables as they are high in nutrition with limited calories
3. Berries: This diet also advises to eat berries at least twice a week. Studies have also highlighted that those who ate the most blueberries and strawberries had the slowest rates of cognitive decline.
4. You should also add enough fibre-rich foods like oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and other whole grains.
5. Nuts are the healthiest snacks. Try to ensure at least five servings of nuts or more each week. Your mother might have told you a thousand times to eat nuts especially almonds to boost brain power.
6. MIND diet advises to cook food in olive oil.
7. Omega-3 fatty acids are also important for your brain health.

What to avoid?

When following the MIND diet, you should avoid sugar-loaded, fried and fast foods. Also, consume butter, cheese and red meat in moderation.

The MIND diet is an overall healthy diet loaded with several health benefits. But if you have any underlying medical condition then you must consult your doctor before following this diet.

Also read: These Are By Far The Best Foods For A Sharp Brain

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.