This study explored stress & food preferences. 232 Flemish students completed a food frequency questionnaire and psychological tests to measure stress levels, during exam period, to determine effects of stress on food choices as part of a longitudinal study.
Results
Diet quality of the students was observed to deteriorate during the exam period in response to stress, with preferences for high fat and sugar foods increased. The study indicated that chronic stress alters food preferences to high fat and high sugar foods. However, the data was from food frequency questionnaires and self reported measures of stress levels. These methods are vulnerable to self reporting biases. Further research which monitors diet whilst taking serum samples of cortisol and other stress-related markers are required to explore these findings further.
Michels, N., Man, T., Vinck, B., & Verbeyst, L. (2020). Dietary changes and its psychosocial moderators during the university examination period. European journal of nutrition, 59(1), 273–286.
This study investigate bilingualism & cognition. The study was a meta analysis of studies. Inclusion criteria was studies investigating bilingualism in the elderly with relation to Alzheimer’s disease risk. 6 prospective cohort studies were selected and 8 retrospective studies were selected. Of the 14 studies, only 2 had a monolingual control group. 14 studies selected for analysis. Study indicated that bilingualism may be protective against memory decline in older adults.
Results:
Meta analysis indicates that one exception, the studies support the idea that bilingualism reduces risk of memory decline. . However, only a small sample of studies included, although selected studies generally of a good sample size (>500). Only two of the studies included participants with Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. Moreover, only two studies had a control group. Further, two of the studies included only Hispanic subjects, which may have impacted results.
A notable limitation of the meta analysis is that it did not include any statistical analysis methods (i.e p value) and this is a significant limitation. Further large scale research is required to explore effects of bilingualism on cognition, and whether bilingualism may be protective against cognitive decline.
This study investigated bilingualism & cognition. Study included 28 older adult participants – 14 monolingual participants and 14 bilingual participants (who had been bilingual since before age 11). All participants were subjected to a fMRI and had no diagnosed mental health conditions.
Results indicated:
Bilingual participants performed better on tasks and had better working memory (p<0.01) and better connectivity (p=0.002), compared with the monolingual group (p=0.17)
Results observed for other types of memory were not significant
Study size was small. Further large scale warranted. Study did not specify regarding bilingualism, as to whether participants spoke more than 2 languages, or whether certain type and complexity of language afford greater protection (i.e romance languages, Germanic languages etc.). Further research merited to explore effects of bilingualism on other types of memory.
Grady, C. L., Luk, G., Craik, F. I., and Bialystok, E. (2015). Brain network activity in monolingual and bilingual older adults. Neuropsychologia 66, 170–181. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2014.10.042
In this study memory change over 6 years was assessed using a large scale sample (16, 638 elderly individuals born <1948) from Health and Retirement Study. Growth curve models were analysed with reference to memory recall of a 10 word list and levels of social integration (i.e with family, volunteering, marital status).
Results indicated:
Socialisation demonstrated as a predictor of slower memory decline (p<.01).
In individuals with vascular disease, socialisation observed to be protective buffer ( (p< 0.05)
Memory amongst least socialised deteriorated at twice the rate of other participants, with association greatest amongst those with <12 years of education (p<0.07)
The study indicates that socialisation and levels of education may be protective factors for memory decline. The study also suggests that socialisation may reduce risk for memory decline in individuals with vascular diseases. The study did not use a robust means of measuring memory capability, such as MMSE. Results for socialisation as a predictor of slower memory decline not statistically significant. However, socialisation in individuals with vascular disease as a protective factor was observed to be statistically significant. More research required as to the mechanisms of how socialisation reduces risk of memory decline in vascular disease. Findings for education as a protective factor were observed to be statistically significant. More research required into to what level of education is most protective against memory decline.
Ertel, K. A., Glymour, M. M., & Berkman, L. F. (2008). Effects of social integration on preserving memory function in a nationally representative US elderly population. American journal of public health, 98(7), 1215–1220.
This study explored fasting & cognitive performance. It identified that biological ageing is a process which is accelerated and exacerbated by excessive calories and a sedentary lifestyle. Further, these factors combined may increase the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases. This systematic review explored the role of different types of IF (intermittent fasting) on cognitive function, with specific focus on BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) as a marker. Reduction of levels of BDNF has been associated with cognitive decline and increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, reductions in BDNF may result in a reduction in synaptic plasticity, memory and learning.
The study accepted and appraised 82 papers. Key findings were:
IF modulated BDNF supporting synaptic maturation and function
Primary evidence demonstrates pro-cognitive and neuroprotective effects of IF and BDNF
Sex specific differences were observed in response to IF
IF was suggested to be supportive for brain health and sustaining cognitive performance into old age, although it was identified further research is required into this area
Seidler, K., & Barrow, M. (2021). Intermittent fasting and cognitive performance – Targeting BDNF as potential strategy to optimise brain health. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology, 65, 100971. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100971
A sample of 2,034 individuals (age >55) in Singapore were studied to explore the link between fish consumption and depression. The study was conducted as part of the Singapore Longitudinal Aging Studies (SLAS) project and results were adjusted for all other possible factors such as smoking, exercise, diabetes etc.
Individuals consuming fish three times per week were observed to report lower depressive symptoms, compared with those who did not consume fish.
Wu D., Feng L., Gao Q., Li J.L., Rajendran K.S., Wong J.C., Kua E.H., Ng T.P. Association between fish intake and depressive symptoms among community-living older Chinese adults in Singapore: A cross-sectional study. J. Nutr. Health Aging. 2016;20:404–407.exercise, diabetes etc
This study looked at the correlation between nutritional status of older adults and health. Correlation was observed between quality of nutritional status and depressive symptoms. Elderly individuals who perceived that they had poorer health, were also observed to be at higher risk of depression.
Jung, S. E., Bishop, A. J., Kim, M., Hermann, J., Kim, G., & Lawrence, J. (2017). Nutritional Status of Rural Older Adults Is Linked to Physical and Emotional Health. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117(6)
MIND Diet vs Mediterranean Diet: Which Is Better for Brain Health?
If you search for the “best diet for brain health,” you’ll almost always come across the same two names: the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet. In this article, we’ll explore the MIND Diet vs Mediterranean Diet debate to see how the two really compare. But after a decade of advances in nutritional neuroscience, perhaps that’s no longer the most useful question to ask.
When it comes to diets backed by the strongest evidence for brain or overall health, two consistently stand out: the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet. Both have genuine scientific credibility. The Mediterranean diet has decades of research behind it, originally focused on cardiovascular health before later demonstrating important cognitive benefits, including a landmark trial showing improved cognitive performance in those following it [1]. The MIND diet was developed later, specifically to reduce cognitive decline by combining elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets. One of the first large studies, involving almost 1,000 older adults, found that greater adherence was associated with significantly slower cognitive decline [2].
Both are excellent dietary patterns and are backed by a good and growing body of scientific evidence. If you are already eating this way, you are doing something positive for your brain.
But here is the question we can forget to ask.
What if the real opportunity is not choosing between these diets, but building on them?
This is not another article arguing that one diet is superior to the other. The more interesting question is whether either reflects everything we now know about protecting brain health and preventing dementia.
Neither diet was designed around the full body of evidence we have today. They were developed using the best available science at the time, and our understanding of dementia has advanced considerably since then. That does not make either diet wrong. It simply means they have provided an excellent foundation rather than the finished picture.
This is what we are interested in. Rather than forcing people into a specific dietary silo, we want to build on the various dietary strategies with newer evidence from nutritional neuroscience, biomarker research, and lifestyle medicine that has emerged over the past decade.
Before comparing the Mediterranean and MIND diets, it’s worth recognising that they have far more in common than they have differences. A comprehensive review published in 2019 found evidence supporting the Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets for better cognitive health [8], reflecting their shared emphasis on vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and minimally processed foods.
Mediterranean Diet vs MIND Diet: A Detailed Comparison
Mediterranean diet
MIND diet
Where it came from
A traditional dietary pattern associated with countries bordering the Mediterranean
A dietary pattern developed specifically for brain health by combining elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets
Main focus
Overall health, particularly cardiovascular health and healthy ageing
Reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia
Foods emphasised
Vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and fish
Leafy green vegetables, other vegetables, berries, nuts, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry and olive oil
Foods limited
Red and processed meat, refined foods, added sugar and highly processed foods
Butter, cheese, red meat, fried foods, pastries and sweets
How prescriptive it is
Broad principles, with flexibility around quantities and frequency
More specific weekly targets for particular foods, especially leafy green vegetables and berries
Evidence base
Decades of research, strongest for cardiovascular health, with growing evidence for cognitive benefits
Strong observational evidence for brain health, with fewer intervention trials
Although the DASH diet is often included in these comparisons, it largely serves as one of the foundations of the MIND diet rather than a separate competitor. For that reason, the real comparison today is usually between the broader Mediterranean dietary pattern and the more brain-focused MIND diet.
Does the MIND Diet or Mediterranean Diet Offer Greater Brain Protection?
Based on the evidence, probably not.
One of the largest clinical trials to test the MIND diet followed participants for three years, comparing it with another healthy, calorie-reduced diet [4]. Both groups improved, but neither clearly outperformed the other. Rather than suggesting one dietary pattern is superior, the study reminds us that there are many ways to eat well and that healthy diets can have far more in common than they have differences.
The Mediterranean and MIND diets remain two of the best-researched dietary patterns for healthy ageing and brain health. Both are associated with better cognitive outcomes than a typical Western diet, and both provide an excellent foundation for most people.
The real opportunity in the MIND Diet vs Mediterranean Diet debate lies not in choosing between them, but in building on their shared strengths using what we have learned over the last decade.
Two people can follow exactly the same diet and have very different omega-3 levels, homocysteine levels, blood sugar control, and ultimately, different risks of cognitive decline.
Today, we can go beyond general dietary advice. Instead of simply recommending fish, we can assess omega-3 status. Instead of assuming a diet rich in leafy greens provides enough B vitamins, we can measure homocysteine. Instead of relying on diet alone to judge metabolic health, we can monitor HbA1c to identify early insulin resistance. The future of brain health is not choosing between dietary patterns. It is combining healthy eating with objective measures of what your brain actually needs.
A healthy diet does not guarantee optimal nutrition
Both the Mediterranean and MIND diets encourage leafy green vegetables, and with good reason. They are rich in folate, one of the B vitamins needed to help regulate homocysteine, a naturally occurring compound that becomes one of the clearest modifiable risk factors for brain shrinkage and cognitive decline when levels are elevated.
However, following these diets does not guarantee healthy homocysteine levels. Age, genetics, digestion, certain medications, and nutrient absorption all influence homocysteine, meaning two people eating the same diet can have very different results.
This highlights an important principle. Eating whole, unprocessed foods is an excellent and essential starting point, but it cannot tell you whether your nutritional status is optimal. In a randomised controlled trial, B vitamin supplementation slowed brain atrophy in people with elevated homocysteine [5], demonstrating that identifying and correcting nutritional deficiencies can make a measurable difference.
The story becomes even more interesting when we look at omega-3. Research suggests these nutrients work together rather than independently. In one study, B vitamins only slowed brain atrophy in people who already had adequate omega-3 status [6]. Another found the reverse: omega-3 supplementation only improved cognitive outcomes in people with low homocysteine, suggesting adequate B vitamin status is necessary for the brain to fully benefit from omega-3 [7] (read more overview of the interaction between omega-3, B vitamins, and brain health). Elevated homocysteine, which often reflects inadequate functional B vitamin status, is itself an established risk factor for cognitive decline.
The message is not that either diet is lacking. Rather, it is that nutrients interact in complex ways that no dietary pattern alone can predict. You cannot accurately know whether your omega-3 status or homocysteine levels are optimal simply by looking at what’s on your plate.
This is why you need a more personalised approach. Alongside encouraging healthy dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean or MIND diet, or even ketogenic or low-carb diets, we also believe in measuring key biomarkers, including homocysteine and omega-3 status, through the DRIfT® test. By combining dietary advice with specific biomarkers, or through tools like the Cognitive Function Test, it becomes possible to understand what your brain actually needs, rather than relying on assumptions.
Blood sugar matters too
Another thing to reflect on is that neither the Mediterranean nor the MIND diet was designed around blood sugar control as its primary goal. Compared with a typical Western diet, both are a major improvement. Their emphasis on vegetables, legumes, healthy fats, and minimally processed foods naturally supports steadier blood sugar than diets high in refined carbohydrates and ultra-processed foods.
However, neither diet asks an important question: how much carbohydrate is right for you?
Carbohydrate tolerance varies considerably between individuals. Someone who exercises regularly and is metabolically healthy may thrive on a Mediterranean-style pattern. Someone with insulin resistance or pre-diabetes may benefit from a lower-carbohydrate approach, even if the carbohydrates they eat come from healthy sources. Reflecting this, some clinicians are now using lower-carbohydrate and ketogenic diets therapeutically for selected neurological and mental health conditions.
The point is not that everyone should follow a lower-carbohydrate diet. It is that good metabolic health is consistently associated with better cognitive health, and no single dietary pattern is right for everyone. Healthy eating provides the foundation, but measuring markers such as HbA1c allows dietary advice to become far more personalised and useful for prevention.
Why diet alone is not enough for brain health?
Food is one of the most powerful tools we have to support brain health, but it is only one part of the picture.
Research consistently shows that regular physical activity, restorative sleep, social connection, and cognitive stimulation all influence the risk of cognitive decline. No dietary pattern can account for these factors on its own. This is why our COGNITION framework brings together the evidence across multiple areas of brain health, recognising that it is the combination of nutrition, lifestyle, and key health markers, rather than any single intervention, that has the greatest influence on long-term cognitive resilience.
Rather than searching for the single “best” diet, we believe it is more helpful to combine evidence-based nutrition with an understanding of your own biomarkers and lifestyle. This allows recommendations to be tailored to the individual, rather than the dietary label.
MIND diet vs Mediterranean diet: the question that matters more than which diet is best
Instead of asking whether the Mediterranean or MIND diet is better, perhaps the more useful question is:
How many proven brain health habits are part of your routine?
You might eat a Mediterranean diet yet still have elevated homocysteine, low omega-3 status, raised HbA1c, or poor sleep, all of which can influence long-term brain health. Diet is one important lever, but it is not the whole system.
To help people understand their own brain health more completely, we developed the Cognitive Function Test™ alongside the DRIfT® at-home blood test. Together, they assess key biomarkers, lifestyle, and established risk factors, helping identify where the greatest opportunities for improvement lie. They are not diagnostic tools, but they can provide a far clearer picture of your brain health than diet alone ever could.
The Mediterranean and MIND diets remain among the best-researched dietary patterns for healthy ageing and cognitive health. Both also share many principles with the DASH diet, reinforcing that healthy dietary patterns have far more in common than they have differences. But protecting your brain is about more than blindly following a dietary pattern, or worse, getting locked into dietary dogma. It is about understanding your own biology, identifying the risk factors you can change, and taking action before problems develop.
The future of brain health is not choosing the “perfect” diet. It is combining the best of nutritional science with personalised testing and evidence-based lifestyle changes, giving every person the opportunity to understand what their brain needs to stay healthy for decades to come.
Ready to understand your own brain health?
Healthy eating is a great place to start, but understanding your own risk factors allows you to make more informed decisions.
Barnes LL, Dhana K, Liu X, Carey VJ, Ventrelle J, Johnson K, Hollings CS, Bishop L, Laranjo N, Stubbs BJ, Reilly X, Agarwal P, Zhang S, Grodstein F, Tangney CC, Holland TM, Aggarwal NT, Arfanakis K, Morris MC, Sacks FM. Trial of the MIND Diet for Prevention of Cognitive Decline in Older Persons. New England Journal of Medicine. 2023;389:602-611. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2302368
This article is intended for general information only and does not constitute medical advice. It is not a substitute for consultation with a qualified healthcare professional, and anyone with concerns about their cognitive health should seek individual guidance.
The evidence for the relationship between alcohol, coffee and tea and cognitive deficits/benefits has been confounding to date. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the current evidence available in terms of the dose–response relationship between alcohol, coffee or tea consumption and cognitive deficits. Interestingly, it concluded that, based on the studies and data reviewed, whilst excessive consumption of alcohol is known to have adverse health effects, light consumption of alcohol (<11 g/day) and of coffee (<2.8 cups/day) are associated with reduced risk of cognitive deficits. It also concludes that the cognitive benefits of green tea consumption increase with its daily consumption.
Alcohol, coffee and tea intake and the risk of cognitive deficits: a dose-response meta-analysis. Ran, L.S., Liu, W.H., Fang, Y.Y. et al. (2021) Epidemiology & Psychiatric Sciences. 30(e13).
The study investigated B Vitamins and prevention of cognitive decline. Elevation of homocysteine (Hcy) levels is well-established as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, yet controversy exists regarding whether B-vitamin-mediated reduction of homocysteine levels can benefit cognitive function.
The review concludes that “the evidence from this meta-analysis suggests that B vitamin supplementation was associated with a reduced rate of cognitive decline, especially in populations who received early intervention and long-term intervention. Pooled results suggest that folate in sufficiency, which already emerged in populations at the MCI stage, is a risk factor for dementia and cognitive decline, and higher intake of folate is associated with a decreased risk of incident dementia in non-dementia aged population. Considering demographic trends in many countries with rapidly aging populations and widespread insufficiency in dietary intake of B vitamins, the findings support the view that public health measures to improve B vitamin status should be targeted at people at risk of cognitive impairment, which would lower the health and societal burdens of dementia”.
Wang, Z., Zhu, W., Xing, Y., et al (2021) B vitamins and prevention of cognitive decline and incident dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Nutrition Reviews
