Mediterranean diet lowers risk of dementia, cognitive decline: study

For years, a lot of people have been giving the Mediterranean diet a lot of raves when it comes to its health benefits--- some even regard it as the healthiest form of diet. Now, the proponents of the Mediterranean diet can add another feather to its cap.

According to a new study published in the Neurology journal, people who are into Mediterranean diet are less likely to have brain atrophy, or the shrinkage in volume of a particular organ. This will help them avoid the chances of developing dementia and other cognitive impairment.

Researchers looked into a sample size of 674 people who are already in their 80s, notes Forbes. The respondents, who are mostly from New York, were asked to answer a questionnaire regarding their diet for a period of seven months. Their brain was later scanned with the use of an MRI. The findings reveal that those who stick with a Mediterranean diet has a bigger brain volume of 13.11 milliliters compared to those who are not.

"These results are exciting, as they raise the possibility that people may potentially prevent brain shrinking and the effects of aging on the brain simply by following a healthy diet," said Yian Gu, lead author of the study and assistant professor of neuropsychology at Columbia University.

The Mediterranean diet advocates eating lots of fruits and veggies, fish and poultry, cereals and whole grains, legumes, and olive oil. People who incorporate this popular diet into their lifestyle also drinks red wine regularly and in moderation, according to EatingWell. They try to stay away from food high in saturated fats such as red meat.

The diet recommends substituting butter and margarine with healthier oils rich in monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids such as such as extra-virgin olive oil, canola and walnut oil. For the protein requirements, it is advisable to ditch the red meat and go for fatty fish like salmon and tuna, skinless chicken, and beans or nuts. Carbs should also not be cast out as long as it comes in whole grain forms like oatmeal, quinoa, and barley.

For those who are not into eating fish, there is the so-called MIND diet developed by some scientists from Harvard and Rush University in Chicago. It is a cross between Mediterranean and DASH diet. Those who stick to a diet that largely resembles the MIND diet is said to have a 53 percent lower chance of suffering from Alzheimer's disease, reports CNN.