People whose diets contain green leafy vegetables may have fewer proteins in their brains linked to Alzheimer's disease compared to those whose diets do not, a new study suggests.
A study published in Neurology analysed the Mediterranean and MIND diets and how they could play into the risk of Alzheimer's. It found that those who more closely followed the diets - both of which incorporate leafy veg - had fewer plaques and tangles linked to Alzheimer's.
This build-up of proteins that clump together in the brain is a sign of the disease, although scientists said this does not establish a cause and effect relationship.
The Mediterranean diet recommends vegetables, fruit, and three or more servings of fish per week while the MIND diet prioritises leafy greens - such as spinach, kale and collard greens - along with other vegetables.
Eating six servings of green leafy vegetables or passing on fried foods could make your brain seem as if four years younger, said study author Puja Agarwal of RUSH University in Chicago.
She said: "These results are exciting. Improvement in people’s diets in just one area – such as eating more than six servings of green leafy vegetables per week, or not eating fried foods – was associated with fewer amyloid plaques in the brain similar to being about four years younger."
Dr Agarwal added: "Our finding that eating more green leafy vegetables is in itself associated with fewer signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain is intriguing enough for people to consider adding more of these vegetables to their diet."
The study involved 581 people with an average age of 84. Participants completed annual questionnaires asking how much of various foods they ate. Those involved in the research died an average of seven years after the start of the study.
Right before death, 39 percent had been diagnosed with dementia. When examined after death, 66 percent met the criteria for Alzheimer’s disease.
During a post-mortem examination, researchers examined their brains to determine the amounts of amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
Both are found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, but may also be found in the brains of older people with normal cognition.
The researchers found that people who scored highest for adhering to the Mediterranean diet had average plaque and tangle amounts in their brains similar to being 18 years younger than people who scored lowest.
Those who scored highest for adhering to the MIND diet had average plaque and tangle amounts similar to being 12 years younger than those who scored lowest.
People who had eaten the most green leafy vegetables, or seven or more servings per week, had plaque amounts in their brains corresponding to being almost 19 years younger than people who ate the fewest, with one or fewer servings per week.
Dr Agarwal commented: "Future studies are needed to establish our findings further."
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