Diet and Nutrition

What Is the MIND Diet Meal Plan?

Q: What foods cause brain fog?

Maybe you’ve heard someone describe experiencing “ brain fog ” or feeling like they’re in a “food coma” after eating. Scientists aren’t exactly sure why sometimes people feel sleepy after a meal . But this may be more likely with foods high in carbohydrates, fat, or melatonin. Getting sleepy after a large meal probably isn’t an issue. But if you feel tired all the time , it’s a good idea to connect with a healthcare professional.

Written by Joanna Foley, RD | Reviewed by Farzon A. Nahvi, MD

Updated on November 26, 2024

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Key takeaways:

The MIND diet is a blend of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, with a special emphasis on supporting brain health.
Health benefits of the MIND diet may include improved brain function and heart health, protection from or delayed onset of memory disorders like Alzheimer’s and dementia, and recovery support after a stroke.
The MIND diet encourages whole-food sources, like leafy green vegetables, berries, whole grains, and fish.
The MIND diet meal plan discourages foods like butter, sugar-sweetened beverages, and fried foods.

With so many diet types out there, it can be confusing to keep track of them all or know what purpose they serve. One popular diet you may have heard of is the MIND diet meal plan. Yes, the diet does have something to do with your mind, but there’s more to it than that.

We’ll take a closer look at the health benefits of the MIND diet, including how it may help treat or prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia.

What does MIND stand for?

MIND is an acronym for Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay. It’s a blend of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (dietary approaches to stop hypertension).

Research shows that these diets can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular conditions like hypertension, heart attack, and stroke. And the MIND diet has a special emphasis on supporting brain health.

The MIND diet was developed by researchers at Rush University Medical Center. The first study on the MIND diet found that it can slow the cognitive decline (think memory, language, attention, and judgment) that occurs with age.

What foods can you eat on the MIND diet?

The MIND diet has many of the same foods as the Mediterranean and DASH diets. It emphasizes whole-food sources that are rich in antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory nutrients.

This table provides some examples of foods to eat as part of the MIND diet meal plan.

Food	Suggested servings per week
Vegetables, especially those that are green and leafy	At least 6 servings per week of leafy greens and 1 serving per day of all other veggies
Berries	2 or more servings per week
Nuts	5 servings per week
Whole grains	3 servings per day
Fish	1 serving per week
Beans	3 servings per week
Lean, skinless poultry	2 servings per week
Olive oil	As needed, ideally as a predominant source of fat
Wine (particularly red wine)	In moderation, with no more than 1 glass (5 oz) per day. *Note that if you don’t currently drink alcohol, don’t begin.

What foods should you avoid on the MIND diet?

The main nutrients limited on the MIND diet are saturated fats, sodium, and added sugar.

These nutrients are in a range of foods. So some foods that the MIND diet encourages you to avoid or limit are:

Butter and margarine
Cheese
Red meat
Highly processed and packaged foods
Fried food
Desserts
Sugary beverages

What are the health benefits of the MIND diet?

There’s a lot of research on the MIND diet. And researchers have found that it has many health benefits. Let’s take a closer look at five key benefits.

Improved brain health and cognitive function

A 2021 study found that participants with the highest MIND diet scores had better overall cognitive (brain) functioning than those with the lowest MIND diet scores. The MIND diet score is based on how often someone eats particular foods. So a higher score means that someone is closely following the diet.

Better memory

Observational studies of more than 900 older adults without dementia have found that closely following the MIND diet is associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Better blood pressure management

The MIND diet incorporates the dietary practices of the DASH diet, which was designed to reduce hypertension (high blood pressure). The MIND diet is low in salt, which can help people prevent and manage high blood pressure levels.

Improved heart health

A 2022 study showed that following the MIND diet is associated with a lower risk of heart-related problems. It also found that the more a person ate whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and beans, the less likely they were to experience a heart-related problem. Each increase in whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and beans reduced the risk of heart-related issues by 60%, 45%, and 65%, respectively.

The Mediterranean diet has been found to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation, and raising HDL (good) cholesterol levels. The MIND diet may do the same, but more research is needed.

Help with stroke recovery

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center reported that the MIND diet might help slow cognitive decline in people who survive a stroke. This is significant because stroke survivors are twice as likely to develop dementia than the general population.

Are there any drawbacks to the MIND diet?

The MIND diet is meant to be followed long term. So, to get the benefits described above, you’ll likely need to stick closely to the meal plan over years. The good news is that the diet is easily adaptable to your lifestyle and preferences. If the MIND diet sounds overwhelming, remember that even following it most of the time can still have health benefits.

It’s important to choose healthful sources of each food promoted in the MIND diet. For example, since fish is recommended, it’s better to select baked or grilled fish rather than fried fish or fish with butter-heavy sauce. It’s also important to not consume any foods you are allergic or sensitive to as part of the MIND diet.

What’s the difference between the MIND diet and the Mediterranean diet?

There’s a lot of overlap between the MIND and Mediterranean diets. The MIND diet was developed as a branch off of the Mediterranean diet. All foods encouraged on the MIND diet are also part of the Mediterranean diet.

But the MIND diet is more detail-oriented. For example, it gives a specific number of servings and favors specific types of fruits and vegetables over others. The Mediterranean diet is less restrictive and includes eating habits and lifestyle factors, such as eating family-style meals.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, you can drink coffee in moderation as part of the MIND diet. The caffeine in coffee can actually help you concentrate and boost your short-term memory. And some research shows that people who drink coffee have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Just remember that the MIND diet encourages limiting or avoiding sugary and processed products, like some creamers and coffee add-ons.

Maybe you’ve heard someone describe experiencing “brain fog” or feeling like they’re in a “food coma” after eating. Scientists aren’t exactly sure why sometimes people feel sleepy after a meal. But this may be more likely with foods high in carbohydrates, fat, or melatonin.

Getting sleepy after a large meal probably isn’t an issue. But if you feel tired all the time, it’s a good idea to connect with a healthcare professional.

There’s no “number one” brain food that can guarantee you’ll have a sharper memory or mind. But following a nutritious and balanced eating plan — like the MIND diet — may have brain-boosting benefits. And there are lots of foods that contain nutrients that benefit your brain.

The bottom line

The MIND diet is a blend of the Mediterranean and DASH diets. It has many health benefits, including supporting brain health, helping reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia, supporting heart health, and aiding in recovery from a stroke. Though it has the word “diet” in it, it’s meant to become a lifestyle and not just a temporary diet. Anyone can follow the MIND diet or implement parts of it into their eating habits.

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Written by:

Joanna Foley, RD

Joanna Foley, RD, is a registered dietitian (RD) and the owner of joannafoleynutrition.com, a private nutrition consulting business. She has previously worked as a clinical dietitian and outpatient renal dietitian.

Edited by:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Reviewed by:

Farzon A. Nahvi, MD

Farzon Nahvi, MD, is an emergency medicine physician and author of “Code Gray: Death, Life, and Uncertainty in the ER.” He works at Concord Hospital in Concord, New Hampshire, and teaches at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

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References

Dhana, K., et al. (2021). MIND diet, common brain pathologies, and cognition in community-dwelling older adults. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

Golzarand, M., et al. (2022). Adherence to the MIND diet and the risk of cardiovascular disease in adults: A cohort study. Food and Function.

GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.