3 Amazing Things That Happen to Your Brain When You Follow the Mediterranean Diet

The foods you eat play an essential role in staying sharp as you age, and nutrient-packed, flavor-rich and easy-to-follow eating patterns like the Mediterranean diet make the job easier. A smattering of studies reveals just how this eating plan can be a boon to your brain health and mood today—and in the future. Oh, and there are happiness benefits, too.

So what exactly happens to your brain when you follow the Mediterranean diet?

How the Mediterranean Diet Benefits Your Brain

Promising research shows that the Mediterranean diet may boost brain health in a few key ways: by improving factors like memory, decreasing the risk of cognitive decline and bettering mood. Here's a deeper look.

May Improve Your Cognitive Capabilities

Incorporating the principles of the Mediterranean diet can shore up your smarts. A 2017 meta-analysis of 17 cohort studies and randomized controlled trials on healthy older adults, published in Advances in Nutrition, found that those who more closely followed the Mediterranean diet had better cognition. Specifically, benefits were noticed in measures of delayed recall (the ability to recollect information acquired earlier, per the American Psychological Association, and working memory. The perks seemed more pronounced for people who cooked with olive oil. While this study only focused on olive oil, other nutritious oils, like avocado oil and sesame oil, have similar properties and benefits and are great options for your brain-supporting diet. Eating more fish and less meat is also associated with positive brain outcomes, thanks to fish's omega-3 fatty acids, which protect blood vessels in the brain, quell damage from oxidative stress and reduce inflammation.

And there's more. A 2019 observational study of Puerto Rican adults with diabetes, published in Diabetes Care, found that following the Mediterranean diet was associated with better cognitive functioning, such as memory, after two years. One of the reasons is that it helped improve blood sugar management. (High blood glucose levels in the brain can, over time, contribute to damaging inflammation.) The study's authors point out that traditional foods in Puerto Rican cuisine, such as homemade soups with vegetables and meat, beans and legumes and fish, fit within the healthy eating pattern of a Mediterranean diet—showcasing how the diet's principles extend beyond traditional Mediterranean fare.

May Help You Prevent Dementia

Though various factors are at play that govern cognitive decline, a healthy diet may help tip the scales in your favor. Both the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet (a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet, but more focused on foods and nutrients specifically known to support brain health) have been shown in randomized controlled trials to slow the rate of cognitive decline, according to a 2023 systematic review in the journal Life.

For example, one study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in 2021 found that people who had the greatest adherence to a Mediterranean diet had a 72% decreased risk of developing dementia compared to those with the lowest adherence. In that same study, the higher the score one had on a scale that measured adherence to the Mediterranean diet, the younger, or healthier, their brains seemed.

Another study, published in 2018 in Neurology, found that those who followed the Mediterranean diet more closely benefited from 1.5 to 3.5 years of protection against Alzheimer's disease. Though exactly why is still being studied, the Mediterranean diet limits red meat and highly processed foods rich in refined carbohydrates, added sugars and saturated fat. Researchers say these foods are more likely to increase the risk of heart disease, insulin resistance and inflammation, which may speed brain aging.

May Decrease Your Risk of Depression

Sticking to an eating pattern with similar components as the Mediterranean diet may help keep your mood up. One 2019 review in Neurology, Psychiatry and Brain Research analyzed 20 observational studies and six intervention trials and concluded that 85% of the former studies support the suggestion that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of depression. Inflammation may be one of the factors driving depression, and the Mediterranean diet promotes foods packed with anti-inflammatory nutrients from plant-based oils and nuts, fruits and vegetables. Some vegetables with the highest anti-inflammatory properties include broccoli, tomatoes, edamame, peppers, collard greens and mushrooms.

More specifically, a 2019 study of Iranian adults, published in Nutritional Neuroscience, showed that subjects who adhered to the Mediterranean diet the most had 40% and 39% lower odds for depression and anxiety, respectively, compared to those who were the least able to follow the diet pattern. Specifically, eating more fruits and veggies was found to buoy one's mood the most. The Mediterranean diet is rich in fiber, heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, magnesium and B vitamins, all of which have been shown in prior research to benefit psychological health.

What Can't the Mediterranean Diet Do For Your Brain?

Cognitive health, dementia and depression are all multifactorial, meaning that many variables —from genes to lifestyle habits, such as diet, exercise or smoking, as well as chronic conditions—are risk factors for these diseases that affect your brain. Though incorporating the principles of the Mediterranean diet in a way that fits your culture and preferences is essential, diet alone isn't the answer. What's more, other aspects of the Mediterranean lifestyle, such as strong social ties, rest and regular movement, are also important for brain health.

5 Top Brain-Friendly Foods to Eat

What foods should you eat for your noggin? There are so many possibilities in a Mediterranean diet—fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, lean protein and healthy fats. And the healthy eating principles of the diet can be applied to any type of cuisine—you don't need to only eat foods and dishes from Mediterranean countries like Italy, Spain and Greece to gain the health benefits. Here are a few brain-supporting foods to try to fit into your routine.

Fish

Eating two fish meals per week is associated with a 10% reduction in dementia and a 30% reduction in the risk of Alzheimer's disease, per a 2022 meta-analysis in Nutrition Reviews. This is likely due to the brain-healthy omega-3 fatty acids in fish.

Plant-Based Oils

Plant-based oils such as olive oil, avocado oil and peanut oil are packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. And, according to research in Nutrition Reviews from 2021, olive oil contains anti-inflammatory components that not only directly impact your brain but may also play a role in the health of your gut microbiome, which can also help protect your brain. Additionally, olive oil, avocado oil and peanut oil are good sources of vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that may help slow down the progression of dementia, per a 2021 review in Healthcare.

Green Leafy Vegetables

A 2023 study published in Neurology found that people who ate the highest amounts of green leafy veggies had the lowest markers of Alzheimer's disease in their brains compared to those who ate the least. Greens like spinach, collard greens, mustard greens and kale are high in nutrients, including folate and vitamins A and K, which have protective anti-inflammatory properties.

Oysters and Mussels

A 2018 study in the World Journal of Psychiatry that attempted to uncover the nutrients linked to mental health—called "antidepressant nutrients" in the research—found that folate, iron, magnesium, selenium and zinc, among others, scored high. When researchers ranked various foods according to that scale, oysters and mussels topped the list.

Berries

Berries, especially blueberries, are rich in plant compounds called anthocyanins that may help slow cognitive decline and protect against Alzheimer's disease and other dementias by decreasing inflammation, notes a 2020 review in Advances in Nutrition.

The Bottom Line

Incorporating the principles of the Mediterranean diet may be beneficial in preserving your cognitive health, decreasing your risk of depression and supporting your overall mental health. And the best news is, because the principles of the diet can be applied to any type of cuisine, there are so many delicious ways to enjoy this eating pattern.