“Every three seconds somebody in the world dies from dementia. Dementia is a leading cause of death and disability without treatment to prevent, slow or reverse its course.”
This is the introduction to a recently published study looking at the effect of diet, specifically a plant-based diet, on mental function. This study reviewed other research on the Mediterranean diet’s effect on mental function.
Most of the studies presented insignificant results. However, the most robust of the studies did present some promise for better mental function for those eating a more plant-based diet.
The Mediterranean diet has already been shown to help cardiovascular disease as well as other chronic diseases. So, the improved vascular function may be one of the ways that this plant-based diet could help mental performance.
Source:
Radd-Vagenas S., Duffy S. L., Naismith S. L., Brew B. J., Flood V. M., and Fiatarone Singh M. A. (2018) Effect of the Mediterranean diet on cognition and brain morphology and function: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2018 Mar 1;107(3):389-404. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqx070.