Mediterranean Diet Appears To Boost Aging Brain Power
May 23, 2013
Built on a foundation of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish, the Mediterranean diet has been associated with everything from increased longevity to reduced cancer risk.

Now a new study indicates that the diet, with added extra virgin olive oil or mixed nuts, may improve the brain power of older people even better than a low-fat diet.

The study's authors from the University of Navarra in Spain, whose research was published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, based their findings on 522 men and women. Participants were between the ages of 55 and 80 and didn't have heart disease, but were still considered high risk because of type 2 diabetes or a combination of factors including blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, family history and smoking.

The study's participants, who were all taking part in a trial looking at how best to ward off heart disease, were randomly chosen to adhere to a Mediterranean diet with added olive oil or mixed nuts. A control group was asked to follow the low-fat diet typically recommended for preventing heart attack and stroke.

After an average of 6.5 years, they were all tested for signs of cognitive decline. The average scores on the cognitive tests were significantly higher for those following a Mediterranean diet compared with those on the low-fat option.

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Posted by Ken at 4:50 AM