Mediterranean diet, olive oil, and nuts improve brain health, memory, and thinking ability - NaturalNews.com

Mediterranean diet, olive oil, and nuts improve brain health, memory, and thinking ability - NaturalNews.com

Mediterranean diet, olive oil, and nuts improve brain health, memory, and thinking ability

(NaturalNews) The Mediterranean diet has long been researched and touted for its many benefits. High in nutrients and antioxidants, several studies have linked this type of diet to a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke and dementia.

According to a new clinical study, a Mediterranean diet rich in nuts and olive oil could be the key to delaying cognitive decline and improving brain health, memory and thinking ability in older people. The study was published online in .

"Oxidative stress and vascular impairment are believed to partly mediate age-related cognitive decline, a strong risk factor for development of dementia," the authors wrote. "Epidemiologic studies suggest that a Mediterranean diet, an antioxidant-rich cardioprotective dietary pattern, delays cognitive decline."

The Mediterranean diet includes fresh vegetables, fruits, unrefined grains, legumes and fish, and it is very limited in meat and full-fat dairy products. Previous studies already associated a Mediterranean diet with better cognitive function and a reduced risk of dementia, but these were mostly observational studies, which are less conclusive.

"This was the first clinical, randomized study using a dietary pattern for good health," said Emilio Ros, who led the study at Hospital Clinic's endocrinology department at the University of Barcelona in Spain. "This clinical trial removes the bias and provides first-level evidence," he added.