A Mediterranean Nuts And Olive Oil Diet May Help Delay Cognitive Decline, Study Shows

According to a new study, eating a Mediterranean diet may help delay cognitive decline in older adults. In the study, researchers randomly chose about 300 people to follow a Mediterranean diet for four years, and asked 145 people to eat a low-fat diet for the same period. Following a Mediterranean diet means consuming many vegetables and fruits, and eating some seafood, while eating only a little meat and dairy. In the study, 155 of the people who were on a Mediterranean diet were asked to include one liter of extra virgin olive oil in their diet per week, and 147 people were asked to supplement their diet with 30 grams per day of a mix of walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds. Given the lack of effective treatments for people suffering from a decline in cognitive function and dementia, strategies that could delay the onset of these conditions or minimize their effects are needed, they wrote. Although the new results are encouraging, more research is needed to confirm them, the researchers noted.