London - A Mediterranean diet is good for the brain as well as the body, according to researchers.
Brain scans suggest that eating plenty of fruit, vegetables and fish, along with moderate drinking, cuts the risk of developing age-related lesions that are linked to cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
High in whole grains and olive oil and low in red meat and dairy, the Mediterranean diet has long been thought to improve heart health and stave off cancer.
But a new US study reveals the benefits also extend to the brain, where it is linked to lower levels of white matter hyperintensity volume - an indicator of damage to the small blood vessels.
Researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine examined for the first time the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and white matter hyperintensities.
Using diet questionnaires and MRI scans, their study of almost 1,000 participants with an average age of 72 revealed a lower volume of chronic age-related white matter damage among those sticking to a Mediterranean diet, even after allowing for risk factors including weight, physical activity and smoking.
Study leader Hannah Gardener said: “The study suggests a possible protective association between increased consumption of a Mediterranean diet and small vessel damage.” - Daily Mail