Lots of olive oil and nuts show compelling improvements noted in memory, reasoning and attention.
Decline in the brains of older adults may be delayed with a Mediterranean diet, fortified with nuts and olive oil. So says a new study pubished in JAMA Internal Medicine.
With 300 randomly chosen people, the study had them eating a Mediterranean diet for four years. Half of the participants supplemented their diets with one ounce (30 grams) per day of almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts. The other half consumed one liter of extra-virgin olive oil per week. Another 145 people ate a low-fat diet over the same period.
The study showed that those who followed the Mediterranean diet saw compelling improvements in cognitive function while those on the low-fat diet saw cognitive decline.
Participants in the study averaged 67 years of age. Their cognitive function of all of them was compared after four years.
The so-called Mediterranean diet was inspired by traditional diets in southern Italy, Greece and Spain. It is high in legumes, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and a moderate to high amount of fish. Consumption of cheese, yogurt and wine are consumed moderately with a relatively low amount of meat. The encouraging study is not conclusive and the authors say more research is needed to confirm their results.
Participants in the study who followed the Mediterranean diet plus extra nuts saw significant improvements in memory abilities. Those who ate the Mediterranean diet with additional extra-virgin olive oil displayed significant improvement in several cognitive functions, such as reasoning, working memory and attention.
Speaking about the study, an New York City internist, Dr. Raphael Kellman, said the omega fats found in nuts and olive oil are important to the improvement of cell membrane condition. This includes those in the brain.
The author of The Microbiome Diet, Kellman reiterated the results of the study, agreeing that the consumption of such fats and oils do indeed improve brain function. These could aid in the prevention of neurodegenerative disorders, he said. Significantly, he also pointed out that a reduction in the consumption of such fats could have a negative effect not only on the brain but overall health.
