Diet for dementia: How much vegetables should you eat in a day to protect the brain?

New Delhi: Dementia has no cure but prevention is always an option. And according to experts, diet has a huge role to play in the same along with lifestyle habits as well. And a dietician says that there is an exact amount of vegetables that can help disable dementia risk with age. The Mediterranean diet, in particular, can improve brain health significantly. Shedding light on the same, 40000 participants suggested that a modest serving of vegetables in a day can reduce dementia risk by 13% in women and 12% in men.
How does diet affect dementia risk?
A study involving 60000 participants found that the Mediterranean diet was linked with a lower risk of dementia irrespective of genetic predisposition. Although the same is not the ideal approach to health and wellbeing, it is confirmed that eating 400 grams of vegetables in a day is linked with a way lower risk of the condition. It was also found that there is a particular set of foods that can do the trick, such as:

Walnuts
Salmon
Flaxseeds
Olive oil
Sardines

Omega-3 fats in particular are great for the brain and also for the heart and diabetics as well. Experts also found that incorporating these foods in the diet along with other nutrient-dense choices can work wonders for health. These include:

Broccoli
Blueberries
Dark leafy greens
Strawberries
Oats

Fruits and vegetables pack essential antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that support healthy cell renewal and the fibre in it also aids digestion and improves overall brain function. and also supports healthy cell turnover. When it comes to diet for overall health, the NHS found that following a diet rich in salt, sugar, and saturated fats and also low in fibre can spike the risk of high cholesterol, hypertension, type-2 diabetes, and obesity. These health problems can contribute to an overall higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Therefore, it is advised to use a weight calculator and work towards maintaining a healthy BMI. It was also found that reducing only 5 to 10% extra weight can reduce dementia risk.