While the study states that eating more plant-based and restricting foods high in saturated fat (and animal products in general) can support brain and heart health, they specifically highlight two groups of superfoods. in the plant-based range: berries and green leafy vegetables.
The study focused on a specific style of plant-based eating called the MIND diet, which was “developed as an intervention to help reduce depression and fight Alzheimer’s and depression,” according to a person certified diet and nutritionist Isabel Smith, RD, CDN.
The new study, based on data from 2,512 participants, found that there were also benefits to a brain diet designed to support heart health. “Our findings highlight the importance of adhering to a MIND diet for better cardiovascular health,” co-author Vanessa Xanthakis, Ph.D.
For a point of reference, this diet is a kind of combination between the popular Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Methods to Stop Hip Arthritis and is designed to help with regulating or preventing high blood pressure. And of course the origin of the Mediterranean diet lies in heart health research: it was studied while monitoring the diet and overall health of seven countries, in terms of heart disease risk. So, it is not a big leap to see how the diet can cause heart health benefits, even when that was not the intention of the eating style.
The MIND diet has its own unique characteristics, too. One of the key components, according to Smith, is the way in which this diet emphasizes leafy green vegetables – which the researchers call. “A few stark veggies include spinach, cabbage, and green tea, which have been found to be particularly beneficial for brain health due to their source of folate, vitamin E, and carotenoids,” she shares.
The recent research notes are another food group of berries – another different part of the MIND diet. “This diet emphasizes the consumption of berries – especially raspberries and straw – as the main source of fruit and does not emphasize any other fruit,” wrote Smith, who explains it specifically “recommends two or more servings of berries per week (perfect instructions for a yummy antioxidant smoothie). ”