Mediterranean diet slows cognitive impairment

"People with the higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet had almost a 45% to 50% reduction in the risk of having an impaired cognitive function," said Dr. Emily Chew, who directs the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications (DECA) at the National Eye Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.

The Mediterranean diet is known for its emphasis on vegetables, whole grains, fish and olive oil. In this study, closely following the diet was defined as eating fish twice a week, as well as regularly consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes and olive oil while reducing consumption of red meat and alcohol. 

The strongest factor to really move the needle was regular fish consumption. Fatty fish like wild salmon, sardines, albacore tuna, lake trout and mackerel are loaded with brain healthy Omega-3 fatty acids which nourish the brain cells.

However, the Mediterranean diet did not appear to slow cognitive decline in people with the ApoE gene, which dramatically raises the risk for Alzheimer's disease. But when the study looked at just the levels of fish consumption, eating fish twice a week did slow the decline in people with the gene.

Mediterranean diet named the best for 2019.