The intellectual abilities of seniors seem to benefit from eating habits close to the Mediterranean diet.
- High consumption of green leafy vegetables and a low daily intake of red meat have been associated with better performance on memory and thinking tests.
People who follow a Mediterranean-style diet are more intellectually sharp as they age, according to a new study published in Experimental Gerontology.
High consumption of green leafy vegetables
Specifically, high intake of green leafy vegetables and low daily red meat intake were associated with better performance on memory and thinking tests. To achieve these results, the scientists tested the intellectual abilities of more than 500 people aged 79 years. None suffered from dementia. “Eating more green leafy vegetables and reducing red meat intake may be two key dietary elements that contribute to the benefits of the Mediterranean-style diet,” infer the authors of the research.
Another lesson: the physical markers of cerebral aging, assessed by MRI, were similar in people following or not following a Mediterranean diet.
A Mediterranean diet has many positive effects on health
Touted by many nutritionists as the best diet to follow, a Mediterranean diet has many positive health effects. It helps in particular to fight against osteoporosis, anxiety, depression, cardiovascular problems and breast cancer. Improved physical abilities and fetal health have also been associated in studies with the Mediterranean diet.
The Mediterranean diet is characterized by the abundant consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, aromatic herbs and olive oil, as well as a moderate intake of dairy products, eggs, wine and in meat.
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