What is the best diet
for brain health?

The MIND Diet was designed to protect the brain from cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. It combines elements of two well-researched dietary patterns – the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet for high blood pressure.

The MIND Diet offers simple, practical guidance on which foods to eat – and how much – and which foods to limit. Protect your brain with every bite!

View MIND Diet recipes

MIND Diet Guidelines:
What to Eat

Food group
Frequency
Examples
Whole grains
3 servings per day

1 serving:

  • ½ cup cooked whole grain – brown rice, wild rice, black rice, farro, millet, quinoa, barley, oats, amaranth
  • 1 cup whole grain cereal
  • ½ cup cooked whole wheat pasta
  • 1 slice of whole grain bread
  • 1 whole grain tortilla
  • Half of a whole grain English muffin
Dark leafy greens
6+ servings per week

1 serving: ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw leafy greens

  • Examples include arugula, beet greens, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and watercress
Other vegetables
1+ serving per day
1 serving: ½ cup to 1 cup cooked vegetable

  • Examples include artichoke, asparagus, beets, bell pepper, Bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, endive, fennel, green beans, jicama, kohlrabi, leek, mushroom, onion, parsnip, potato, pumpkin, radicchio, radish, rutabaga, shallots, snap peas, squash, sweet potato, turnip, and zucchini
Berries
2+ servings per week
1 serving: ½ cup fresh or frozen berries

  • Examples include boysenberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries
Legumes
3+ servings per week
1 serving: ½ cup cooked legumes

  • Examples include adzuki beans, black beans, cannellini beans, fava beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), Great Northern beans, kidney beans, lima beans, mung beans, navy beans, pinto beans, soybeans, lentils, peas
Nuts
5+ servings per week
1 serving: ¼ cup nuts

  • Examples include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, soy nuts, and walnuts
Fish
1+ serving per week
1 serving: 4 ounces

  • Examples include anchovies, butterfish, catfish, clam, crab, crawfish, flounder, haddock, herring, North Atlantic mackerel, perch, pollock, salmon, sardines, Pacific sole, squid, tilapia, freshwater trout, and whitefish
Poultry
2+ servings per week
1 serving: 4 ounces

  • Examples include chicken, turkey, duck, and quail
Extra virgin olive oil
Primary cooking oil
1 serving: 1 tablespoon 

MIND Diet Guidelines:
What to Limit

 Food group
Frequency
Examples
Sweets and pastries
0-4 servings per week

1 serving:

  • ½ cup ice cream
  • 1 ounce of chocolate or candy
  • 1 medium pastry or donut
  • 1 medium piece of pie or cake
Red meat and processed meats
0-3 servings per week

1 serving:

  • 4 ounces of red meat (beef, hamburger, pork, ham, veal, lamb)
  • 3 ounces of deli meat
  • 3 ounces of pepperoni or salami
  • 1 slice of bacon
  • 1 hotdog
Butter and butter substitutes
Less than 1 Tbsp per day

1 serving:

  • <1 Tbsp butter
  • <1 Tbsp margarine
  • <1 Tbsp dairy-free spreads
Cheese
0-3 servings per month

1 serving:

  • 1 ounce of low-fat cheeses such as cottage cheese, feta cheese, and low-fat ricotta
  • Limit high-fat cheeses including cheese on pizza
Fried foods and fast foods
0-3 servings per month

1 serving:

  • 3 ounces of French fries (10-20 fries)
  • 1 ounce of potato chips or tortilla chips (10-20 chips)
  • 1 cup home fried potatoes
  • 1 cup of fried Brussels sprouts or other fried vegetable
  • 4 ounces of meat in a fast food burger or chicken sandwich