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There’s not much you can do about your genetic risk factors for developing dementia. However, emerging research suggests that you may be able to lower the impact of heredity-related risks for age-related cognitive decline by adopting a specific diet plan.<\/p>\n
A 2025 study<\/a>\u00a0published in Nature Medicine\u00a0looked at the health data history of more than 5,000 men and women. Over approximately three decades, the adults who followed a Mediterranean-style dietary lifestyle were less likely to receive a dementia diagnosis. This outcome held fast, even among participants who carried at least one genetic biomarker for dementia.<\/p>\n (Here’s what to eat to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease<\/a>.)<\/p>\n The cognitive effects of a Mediterranean diet have been highlighted before. A 2022 review<\/a> in Frontiers in Nutrition determined that eating a Mediterranean diet could delay the onset of cognitive impairment,\u00a0suggesting that natural dementia prevention through food could have long-term positive outcomes.\u00a0At a time when the World Health Organization<\/a> estimates that around 57 million people are living with a type of dementia globally, this finding is certainly welcome.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Foods in the Mediterranean diet that may help protect the brain<\/p>\n
Fit Ztudio\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n As Alzheimer’s disease expert Dr. Richard Isaacson explained to CNN<\/a>, the proof is growing in favor of Mediterranean foods to support cognition, noting that “future studies will help to clarify how long a person needs to make a dietary change before seeing an impact on cognitive outcomes.”<\/p>\n In general, Mediterranean-style foods are fresh or minimally processed (think seeds, nuts, and produce). In the 2025 study, fruits, monounsaturated fats, and nuts were noted for being particularly neuroprotective.<\/p>\n Animal meat and fats can be eaten on a Mediterranean diet, but only once or twice a week. However, frequent seafood and fish consumption is encouraged. Healthy plant-based fats, including olive oil and avocado oil, belong in this type of diet.\u00a0The Mediterranean diet veers away from some of the modern trendier diets that avoid fruits and vegetables, like the carnivore diet, which focuses primarily on only eating animal products and byproducts.\u00a0<\/p>\n (Read up on\u00a0what the “dirty” carnivore diet really does to your body<\/a>.)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Improving more than just brain health<\/p>\n
Shironosov\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Even before it started getting buzz on social media, the Mediterranean diet has already had a long history of being associated with other positive health benefits aside from potentially lowering dementia risk in some individuals.<\/p>\n A 2019 review<\/a> in Circulation Research found a strong relationship between the consumption of a Mediterranean-style diet and reduced incidence of heart disease. The review called the Mediterranean diet a “gold standard” approach to improved cardiovascular performance.<\/p>\n In addition to being possibly good for the mind and heart, the Mediterranean diet might also benefit your waistline. A 2023 review<\/a> in Experimental Gerontology examined the data from multiple studies and concluded that people who adhered to a Mediterranean diet tended to lower their chance of gaining weight as they aged.<\/p>\n
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