The Mediterranean diet is acclaimed by doctors and scientists for its menu of fruits, vegetables and whole grains that has been shown to keep you fit into old age.
But now, scientists say a slightly modified version exists. (packed with green tea, nuts, and a green smoothie) could be even more effective in helping to slow brain aging and reduce the risk of dementia.
Israeli researchers, who recruited more than 250 obese people to follow the diet, found that it was effective in reducing high blood sugar levels and controlling metabolism.
They found this offered “neuroprotective benefits” and improved the telltale signs of brain aging on brain scans.
The findings show that maintaining a healthy weight and eating fewer processed foods “may play an important role” in reducing neurodegeneration, the researchers said.
The Mediterranean diet, rich in healthy fats, proteins and whole grains, has become extremely popular in recent years with a large number of studies touting its benefits for longevity, reducing frailty and preventing cancer.
The diet largely involves avoiding dairy, red meat and alcohol, and at the same time consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, oily fish, nuts, seeds and legumes.
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev recruited 284 volunteers, mostly men and with an average age of 51 years.
Scientists say a slightly modified version, packed with green tea, nuts and a green smoothie, could be even more effective in helping to slow brain aging and reduce the risk of dementia.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. The disease can cause anxiety, confusion and short-term memory loss.
They were asked to follow a “green” Mediterranean diet for 18 months, which involved consuming 28g of walnuts a day, three to four cups of green tea and a green smoothie made with globose, a plant extract.
Women were asked to consume no more than 1,200 to 1,400 calories per day, while men were limited to 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day.
MRI brain scans were completed at the start and end of the trial to calculate “brain age” – the age the brain appears on the scans, regardless of biological age.
During the study, all participants received a free gym membership and educational sessions encouraging moderate-intensity physical activity.
Measurements of the participants’ body weight, blood pressure and lipid levels were also taken.
They found that those who followed the “green” Mediterranean diet were more likely to see an improvement in their blood sugar levels (58.33 percent).
The figure stood at 31.62 percent among those following the Mediterranean diet and 28.57 percent in the control group, suggesting that those in the “green” group were less likely to develop metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
writing in The American Journal of Clinical NutritionThe researchers also said that people who follow the green diet’It also had the largest improvements in brain aging metrics.
It is currently believed that around 900,000 Britons suffer from this memory-robbing disorder. But scientists at University College London estimate this figure will rise to 1.7 million within two decades as people live longer. It marks a 40 percent increase from the previous forecast in 2017.
They added: “Greater consumption of green tea and Mankai smoothie (the green drink) was associated with greater improvements in brain health, especially in participants who consumed the smoothie at least three times a week and drank green tea daily.”
This “could be attributed in part to the high content of polyphenols present in plant-based foods,” they also said.
These are a group of natural compounds found in plants that have antioxidant properties.
The scientists, however, acknowledged that the research had “a number of limitations,” including a lack of data on the educational or cognitive status of the volunteers before the study began.
The high proportion of male participants may also “limit the generalizability of our findings to women,” they said.
A recent analysis by the Alzheimer’s Society estimates that the total annual cost of dementia in the UK is £42 billion a year, with families hardest hit.
An aging population means these costs – which include lost income from unpaid carers – will soar to £90 billion over the next 15 years.
Around 944,000 people in the UK are thought to be living with dementia, while in the US the figure is around 7 million.
In a paper published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers also said that people following the green diet “also had the largest improvements in brain aging metrics.”
Alzheimer’s affects approximately six in 10 people with dementia.
It is believed to be caused by a buildup of amyloid and tau in the brain, which build up and build up of plaques and tangles that make it difficult for the brain to function properly.
Over time, the brain struggles to cope with this damage and symptoms of dementia develop.
Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties, and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time.
Analysis by Alzheimer’s Research UK found that 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022, compared to 69,178 the previous year, making it the leading cause of death in the country.