Experts Explain the MIND Diet and Brain Health

Created in 2015 by Martha Clare Morris, Sc.D., and researchers at Rush University, MIND stands for Mediterranean–DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. The plan draws from Mediterranean and DASH eating patterns but centers specifically on preserving brain function with age. Rather than requiring exact portions or rigid calculations, it gives broad targets for how frequently certain food groups appear in meals.

Leafy greens receive special emphasis because they contain lutein, beta carotene, zeaxanthin, other carotenoids, and flavanols. Berries are prioritized over fruit as a general category because they provide more flavanols and anthocyanins. The plan also limits highly processed foods and animal products without banning them. Jennifer Ventrelle, M.S., R.D.N., explains that flexibility is built into the approach, while Laura Morris, C.P.T., says it can be adjusted around individual health needs.

Research cited by the experts connects stronger adherence with slower cognitive decline. In an early observational study, participants who followed the pattern most closely experienced cognitive aging comparable to people roughly seven-and-a-half years younger. A newer study associated the diet with a 4% decrease in cognitive-decline risk, although results differed by sex and race. The scoring system tops out at 15, but Ventrelle identifies seven as the level where benefits may begin. Because present eating patterns may affect brain health decades later, the experts consider the approach relevant both before and near the years when cognitive decline commonly emerges.