People who eat this type of diet are at low risk for dementia, research shows

Certain foods may feed the brain better than others.

New research presented this week at NUTRITION 2025, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in Orlando, Florida, found that the MIND diet is particularly beneficial for cognitive health.

People who followed the MIND eating plan — which stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay — were “significantly less likely” to develop Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia , according to a press release from the American Society for Nutrition.

What is the MIND diet?

MIND is a hybrid of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), the latter of which is designed to reduce blood pressure.

The diet focuses on “brain-healthy foods” like leafy green ve