Thursday, April 23, 2020

Mediterranean Diet and Its Impact on Cognition

Recent analysis of data from two major eye disease studies from the National Eye Institute, which is part of the National Institutes for Health, showed that diet had a significant impact on cognition. Those who followed a Mediterranean diet had higher cognitive functioning and slower cognitive decline. A Mediterranean diet emphasizes consuming whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fish, and olive oil and decreasing red meat and alcohol. Both of the Age-Related Eye Disease Studies assessed 4,000 participants’ diets each. Those that most greatly adhered to the Mediterranean diet had the lowest risk of cognitive impairment. It was found that specifically high fish and vegetable consumption contributed to this effect. Those with the highest fish consumption showed the slowest rate of cognitive decline. Small differences in specific foods consumed in the Mediterranean diet did not matter as much as the overall pattern of eating. Overall, incorporating more fish and vegetables into your diet could have a positive impact on cognitive functioning. 

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